Reborn
by RintinDestiny
Summary: Chief wakes up seventy years after the war immediatly he had to defeat a new race of syco aliens, stop a trannical new regime, and help a 18 year old boy find what he was ment for,will the legendary Chief succeed in this new war or finally perish? (ATTENTION: IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REWRITTEN!)
1. Chapter 1: Awakening

Halo 4: One Shot

**Hello RintinDestiny here. Halo 4 is due to come out in 2012 so even though I don't play the game I want to put this one shot up and if it's okay possibly continue it in the future. Now call me what you will, a noob, but I have watched others play and know what the game is about from the cutscenes. So here I go, from the legendary ending to this, tell me what you think.**

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><p><span>Chapter 1:<span> Awakening

_**"Heros are made not born,"**_

That's what I know for sure. In this crazy messed up life of mine that is the one thing I'm sure of. In the past week I have been betrayed, stabbed, shot at, and I've witnessed the deaths of the two people I thought were my parents.

Now I'm about to be made, to agree to alter my body in ways that I don't even fully comprehend.

It all started the day that one pod crashed to this planet. The day that those aliens started hunting _him_. And the day that my very own race betrayed me.

I'm not even sure I can trust this one guy, John, who says he'll protect me. He say's he back from 2552, that was over seventy years ago. He's strong and experianced but the AI that's with him, I don't know, she's to smart and keeps alot hidden.

But what choice do I have now? They're the only chance I've got to escape and get my revenge on those damn Followers, UPMC, and maybe even the military itself.

I can use this to my advantage though. I have a new beginning, a new destiny, one that I control and not some whack job military agents.

They underestimate my determination, abilities, and my luck. As John says we make our _own _luck and I don't plan on stopping it anytime soon.

Maybe though I should go back to the beginning. So that you all can understand my story, to understand that at one time I was like any of you. Young, innocent, and just going through the motions of each day. Here is the story that could have been yours.

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><p>Liam ran down the dirt path, his bare feet sending puffs of dust as he went. Today was the day, his one day of the year. His birthday.<p>

He was becoming a man, he was turning eighteen and he got one wish from his parents. And his wish was coming true, to have one day to himself and go anywhere he wanted. Most kids would have asked for money, a pet, or presents. All Liam wanted was to be free.

"Now becareful Liam, if anything doesn't seem right use your head," his father had reminded him.

"And watch out for any aliens, they still have bad feelings towards humans," his mother had warned, brushing a gray strand of hair behind her ear.

But Liam had brushed their warnings away and by now had totally forgotten them.

He ran for about fifteen minutes before he had to catch his breath and rest. He hadn't been going anywhere special just somewhere he had never been before. And he was happily successful, Liam had wandered into the tropical forest that surrounded his small colony.

Soon he was walking past trunks of large trees, vines that sprouted colorful flowers that closed when you touched them, ants marched in single file down the stem of a large bush with red and purple fruit. He brushed aside broad-leaved plants that dripped with water from the recent rain shower and then was standing at the edge of a large, grassy, clearing.

_"A perfect place for lunch," _Liam thought as his stomach gave a rumble.

At the center of the clearing was a large boulder, it's ragged edges gleaming with silica and bits of quartz. With a heave Liam pulled himself onto the boulder and pulled the small knapsack from his shoulders.

Withing a few minutes the last crumbs of bread and last slice of fruit disappeared down his throat. He lay back on the boulder, brushing off his gray t-shirt and brown cargo pants and then folded his arms behind his head.

"I could do anything today," he muttered to himself, "explore the unknown parts of the forest, go down to the next village across the hills, even explore Hydra Canyon and the Hidden Tunnels,".

But that would have to wait, the warm sunshine and full stomach lulled Liam into a dull drowsiness and soon his was napping atop the boulder.

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><p>"...mmm..."<p>

John-117 a.k.a Master Chief felt a warming sensation flowing through his veins.

"...john wake up..."

slowly the Spartan's vital signs sped up, his heart pumped, and his lungs started to function.

"I need you..."

His heart continued to pump, it's pace going faster and faster, finally his brain reacted to the fresh flow of blood.

"Please..."

His brain sent out signals and his lungs expanded taking in oxygen, fueling his now demanding heart.

"WAKE UP JOHN!"

His eyes opened and his helmet lights sparked to life filling the confined Cryo chamber with light.

"Chief!"

With a rush of recognition he shuved open the container and immediatly saw the source of his wake up call.

"John,".

"I'm here," he said to the AI who was standing on the pedistal in front of his chamber.

Suddenly to his left the ship was filled with explosions and fire. Without thinking Chief took out the chip that held Cortana and placed it in the back of his helmet.

In a flash his training took control and he pushed off and used his rockets to speed over to the opened doors of the ship. Using his momentum he propelled himself through them but then had to immediatly had to doge a massive part of the ship's support system as it crashed past him.

Another explosion sound behind him and waves of fire and exploding gas were all around. He rushed forward and kicked open the metal doors that came up in front of him.

He doged more flying pieces of metal and then ducked underneath two large beams of steel, making himself travel on his back. Up ahead he saw a small outline of a gun and using his arms to steer jetted ahead and grabbed it.

Then coming up fast was a large plate of metal that had fallen off the ceiling. Thinking fast he loaded the gun, aimed and fired. The weapon launched a small grenade and it connected with the large piece of steel blowing it apart so that Chief slipped through.

He saw that just beyond the tattered remains of the ship was the black void of space so as he went by he grabbed onto a beam to stop his momentum and then he was able to gain footing at the edge of the wrecked metal.

Up ahead he was the blinding white light of a tractor beam pulling the wreck towards the giant ship before him. This was bad, he had to get off this wreck before those raiders came aboard.

"Cortana can you see if there are any more working launch pods left on this ship?" he asked as his reloaded the gun in his hand.

"I'll run a diagnostic and check," she said from inside his helmet and was silent for a long few minutes.

"You'll have to hurry the ship's fuel lines are what are making it explode, it's only a matter of time," Cortana responded, "there are two pods that would still be in working condition, but they only have half a tank of fuel each,".

"It'll have to do," Chief said, hooking the gun to his hip.

He turned and then hurried down a wrecked hallway, alert for any more explosions, to where the escape pods were, Cortana was right. Most of the pods had either been destroyed by the collapsing ship or had already been used.

"Is it possible to siphon the fuel from one pod to the other?" he asked the AI, moving a metal bar to get to the last pods.

"I might be able to but that's only if the computer controls are still operational," Cortana was silent again for another minute.

Then there was another explosion down the hallway, heat washing over Chief making him more impatient to be off.

"There, more than three quarters full, John where do you plan on escaping to?" Cortana returned once more, startling John with her sudden voice.

"Anywhere is better than here," the Spartan entered the pod and closed the door behind him, sending both himself and the AI into darkness.

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><p>Liam jolted awake. Anger shot through him as he saw the fading light in the sky. He had slept to long and now his day was over.<p>

_"I wasted the entire day!" _he thought savagely, shouldering his pack.

"Stupid...damn birthday!" he growled.

He was just about to jump down when something in the sky caught his attention. It was a firey white streak, like a comet only it didn't have the smooth edges of one. It was ragged looking like an astroid, but it didn't tumble like one.

The object seemed to pick up speed and then it randomly changed direction, until it was heading straight for the clearing.

**BOOM!**

The impact sent Liam rolling off the boulder and onto the ground below, making him twist his ankle and wrench his shoulder. He covered his head despite the pain with his arms, Liam could feel the heat from the object even on the other side of the boulder

Dirt rained down from the sky as did flaming pieces of metal and debris. Liam stayed in his protective position for quiet some time. Finally he uncurled his cramped legs and arms and limped around the boulder to see what had happened.

There, not even ten feet from the giant rock was a strange metal contraption. It had a sliding door on the front and protective metal armor surrounding it.

He stared at it in wonder, was it an alien? Or some military experiment?

The thing had left a twenty foot gouge in the earth, a ragged wound of reddish brown earth that was pockmarked with bits of metal and fire.

Liam stepped closer until he was infront of the sliding metal door. Heat radiated from the ground but the metal was strangely cool. He reached out a hand but snatched it back as the door opened with a hiss.

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><p>"Chief are you alright?" Cortana questioned.<p>

The AI looked over the health readings for the Spartan, his body was still recuperating from the long cryo-sleep but it was still more than double the average human's strength.

"Ya...I'm here," John replied after a second and unstrapped himself from the pod, he could feel a burning in his chest. Broken ribs.

With a hiss the door slid to the side and Chief was able to glimpse the tops of trees and the dusky pink and purple sky.

"John, we're not alone,".

Immediatly Chief was on alert again, he jumped out of the pod and unhooked the gun from his side sweeping it from right to left.

_"There..." _he thought as a flash of movement caught his sharp eyes.

"Ahhh!" there was a yell and Chief caught sight of a boy cowering next to large gray boulder.

His face had flecks of dirt smudged on it and his dirty blonde hair hung down into his face. Chief sighed and lowered his gun, this was just a kid.

Liam looked up and saw that the tall, armored man was lowering his gun and seemed to be considering him. It was hard to tell from his unemotional helmet.

"Who are you?" he said shakily but tried to seem brave and stood.

The man clipped the gun back onto his hip and stepped forward, "I'm Spartan soldier John-117, what planet is this?"

"This is the planet Arigmus," Liam responded.

"Arigmus?" Chief said, "What planet it that?"

"It's at the edge of the Milkyway, it's not anything new really," Liam said, slighty confused as something surfaced in his mind.

"You said you were a Spartan, from the military right?"

The soldier nodded.

"Where have you been than? There haven't been Spartans for almost seventy years,".

Master Chief froze in shock, "Cortana," he whispered, "how long was I in Cryo-sleep?"

He could tell the AI was hesitating, "Cortana..."

"The year is...it's 2622, sev...seventy years since 2552,".

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><p><strong>So should I continue? Or is it to far from the real deal? I would really like to get some feedback and maybe some suggestions on how I can improve. Please review! Thanks!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Rescue

Halo: Reborn

**Okay so I've decided to continue this fanfiction. Please I would really appreciate it if I could get some feedback and advice on this fanfiction. I'm not sure where I'm going to go with it also if anyone is willing to be my beta on this fic I would really appreciate it. Thanks and enjoy.**

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><p><span>Chapter 2:<span> Rescue

_Seventy years!_ Just the idea was staggering.

"And how," Chief muttered, "did it come to you NOT waking me for seventy years Cortana?".

"It wasn't necessary, I was following your orders and not waking you until I needed you," the AI said defensively.

He gave a sigh, what had become of the world in seventy years? Were any of the people he knew still alive? Had all the Spartans really disappeared? Was the UNSC even still operational?

These questions prodded at John's mind begging to be answered but he pushed them to the side, now was not the time. He had to focus on finding some human dwelling and then he'd start from there.

He looked up at the kid who was looking at him warily, as if he was a bomb that could go off at any second.

_'There must be a human colony nearbye, he wouldn't be all the way out in the middle of nowhere without food or shelter,' _John reasoned.

"Hey kid what colony are you from?"

Liam looked at the tall man in front of him with a spark of resentment, '_I'm no kid anymore,' _he thought and then considered his options.

If this guy truly was a Spartan the military would want to know about and him and to have him back in one piece. But what if he was some sort of alien spy? Bringing him to his home would be a terrible mistake, his colony was the largest producer of technology and the only port to trade luxury iteams.

_'But' _thought Liam, _'even if he is a spy the military would love to have him in custody,'._

He hid a smirk, "Ya, the Colony of Tech is only a few miles to the south and my home city, Aerum, is right at the edge,".

"_So_ Cortana do you think we should check it out?" he said within his helmet so that the kid wouldn't hear.

"This area is unidentifyed and so I am yet uncertain of an alternate choice," she responded.

"Great you were a load of help," Chief responded with a hint of sarcasem.

For a moment he was slient and organized his thoughts then John rolled his shoulders, took a breath and turned his attention back to the kid.

"So you got a name?"

"Ya...Liam,"

"Liam, can you show me to that colony of yours? I need to contact some sort of authority and let them that I am now back in service,".

The kid nodded, "Sure," then he turned and started off between two large trees, he was heading south.

John started forward when..."Oh and Chief," Cortana said softly.

"Ya," he responded.

"Don't think I didn't hear that sarcasem before, I've been around humans far to long to let that go unnoticed,".

Cheif gave a small smile.

_With'didin_ a few minutes both Liam and Chief were walking down a small dirt, the same one that Liam had come up before. They were walking towards a large jumble of lights that was assumed to be the colony of Tech.

As they walked down the darkening path Liam kept snathcing glances at the man next to him. He was very tall, taller than most of the men in Aerum, probably in the entire whole of Tech. He was also very broad, his wide shoulders showing inhuman strength.

Liam then turned his attention to the green armor that covered the man's body. He could see multiple gouges, huge scratches, scuffs, dents and signs of just plain battle wear and tear.

_'Who is this guy?' _he thought to himself .

It bothered Liam that this Spartan, after seventy years of peace and the UNSC being shut down, that he was actually here. The UPMC shut down that whole Spartan operation because they were all thought to be dead and through the traitor Dr. Halsey into the ward for unethical treatment of humans. And to further that the UNSC was disbanded to make sure that no true military branch ever got full power.

_'So why...'_ thought Liam, _'didn't they find this guy?'_

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><p><em>'Seventy years? What's changed? Is anyone still alive that I'd know? Is the war really over?' <em>these thoughts flashed through Cheif's mind along with fellings of regret, and remorse.

Why didn't Cortana wake him?

He scowled, _'That AI should know better then let me stay in friggin cryo for so long!' ._

Did she go haywire? Rouge? Or did she short out? There were multiple possiblities with an AI. They weren't ment to last this long anyway, Cortana knew to much though, she was to valuble to terminate.

_'Besides,' _reasoned John, _'probably wouln't be able to do it anyway, she's the only remnant of the past I have left,'._

"HEY! Watch it!" Cheif was snapped out of his revery.

He had nearly walked into Liam, almost sending tumbling down a steep drop off. They had come to the edge of the forest and down below in the distance was the glittering sea of lights that was Tech.

It seemed very densly populated, atleast for a human colony. Hundreds apon hundreds of buildings sparkled with lights, and coming up and down from the far side of the colony was a flurry of ships of all shapes and sizes.

"This is a very large colony, how many people live here?" Chief asked, hoping Cortana was cataloging.

Liam hesitated then answered, "It depends on the week really, people are constantly moving in and out of the colony on business and for trading. Tech is the fourth largest human colony and the largest producered of luxeray technology, hense the name,".

John scanned over the city once more, it seemed very crowded, alot of people would see him entering the city and he had hoped to escape notice until he was in contact with the military.

"How are we supposed to get down there?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the furture and looked down the edge of the cliff.

There was a ledge stretching the length of it but it was over twenty feet below, no normal human could make that fall with out atleast injury. Unless within the last seventy years humans had somehow mutated into super humans...

"How do you think? We climb down," Liam pointed over to side where the top of a metal ladder protruded.

"Loosing your touch there Chief, eh?" Cortana teased.

A grunt was John's only responce as he followed Liam to the ladder. The metal creaked and groaned at the weight of the Spartan and his MJONLIR armor. The ladder swayed for a moment but held, allowing the duo to continue on their way down.

After about five minutes both Liam and Chief made it safely to the ledge that he had seen before. John now saw that the rock ledge zig-zagged downward until it reached the flat strip of earth between there and Tech's walls. Liam continued forward keeping his right hand on the wall of the cliff. The cool, rosey colored strata passing underneath his fingers as he walked.

Doubt slowly clouded his mind, fears that he was making the wrong choice raced through his head.

_'Is it really a good idea to bring this guy to Tech? What if he thinks that I'm useless now that he knows where the colony?' _Liam hesitated at this thought.

"Kid you okay?" Chief asked, he had stopped in midstep with his hand on the rock next to him.

He gave a start and shook himself as if casting off water, "Oh ya...ya I'm fine just thinking," he turned his head and gave an overly happy, shakey, smile.

**CRACK!**

All of a sudden the edge of the already small ledge crumbled under the boy's left foot. Liam lost his balance and flet his feet leave the ground. In a desprate attempt he scrabbled with his hands and caught the edge with the tips of his fingers. But the stone just wouldn't hold and it collapsed under his weight. Liam closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable.

"AHHHH **UH**!" he was jerked to a stop and his wrist started to throb.

Liam opened his eyes and looked up into the amber visor of the Spartan. The black gloved hand that had been his savior had a tight grip on his wrist.

"Need to watch your step there," the man heaved upward and Liam was hoisted back onto blessed solid ground.

For a moment he just sat there on the ground panting, adrenline pumping through his veins making his ears pound. from his near fatal experiance.

Fianlly when he got his breath back he looked over at Cheif who stood looking out over at Tech, "You...you didn't let me...fall,".

"Why would I?" the Spartan looked back down at him, "unless you want me to put you back over the edge," a luagh could could be heard in his words.

"No! No...I'm good just...thanks," Liam nodded to John who nodded back.

"Come on let's get you home before you hurt yourself," he held out an armored hand and helped the kid back onto his feet.

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><p>Ten minutes later just within the walls of Tech a small house turned on it's plasma lights.<p>

"Cana do you see Liam? He was supposed to be home an hour ago," a man walked in, his black hair streaked with silver.

A woman, presumably Cana, also with graying hair looked out the small circular window over the sink, No...oh wait yes I see him now he's comnig in through the gate and...someone it with him," she frowned.

"Is it a girl?" the man laughed, his eye crinkling.

"No..." she responded, "no but he's very tall and has armor, he almost looks military,".

The _man's_ smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown that creased hi forehead and he joined Cana at the window.

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><p>"So once we get to my house I'll tell my parents what happened , my dad works as the manager for the mechanical bio lab here, he can get you the authoritys," Liam said, "you should probably just stay outside and try to stay hidden,".<p>

"Shouldn't I go and explain?" Cheif didn't feel like waiting around doing nothing, he had done that for long enough in cryo.

Liam stopped and raised an eye brow, "Spartans haven't been seen in seventy years, how do you think most people would react to seeing a giant armored man walking into their house?" a hint of sarcasem laced his voice.

"I still think..."

"Chief! Just listen to the kid for now we have no idea what to expect from these people," Cortana warned from inside his helmet.

John felt like he was going to explode, he felt like nothing was happening quick enough. He felt like he had no purpose now that the war was over. He wanted to feel like he was doing _something_!

"Just please stay outside and then once I explain I'll come get you," Liam turned and continued towards the first house that led into the out skirts of Tech.

"Please John, you just need to be cautious..." Cortana said carefully her voice full of concern and uncertainty.

"Like a don't know that,".

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><p>"Michael what is it?" Cana asked as the two outlines grew closer to their home.<p>

Michael was silent, his brown eyes scrutinising the taller of the two.

"Please...Micha.."

"I believe," began the man, "that Liam has finally begun to discover his destiny...".


	3. Chapter 3: Invasion

Halo: Reborn

**A/N: I am trying to make the chapters longer and more detailed as I go along but with school updating might be kinda hard but I'll do it every chance I get ok! Hope you enjoy, please R&R!**

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><p><span>Chapter 3:<span> Invasion

"So we have your assurance that you'll leave Earth and the other ten alone?" a pale, gray haired man with wrinkled skin said, with his high voice radiating static from the speakers.

His head and shoulders displayed on a large screen in front of a tall alien figure in a chair. The two were in the deck of a large battle cruiser. The enormous ship sported the look of the Earth creature, the squid. The main part of the ship was triangular in shape with a large bulbous window directly in the front. From the sides sprouted four large streamlined wings that supported the ship's thrusters and rockets.

From the side of the ship sprouted a few large laser cannons among several other separate weapons systems. Outside the large cruiser were more than a dozen smaller ships that were practically miniature clones except that the smaller ships had just one large blaster at the front that could be manned by the pilot.

Back inside the ship the tall alien sat silent with his three fingered hands folded over his lap. He wore bright robes of deep crimson that cascaded onto the floor in a gleaming fiery heap. He was exceptionally thin but also very tall. Just by sitting down, he would have been several inches taller than the average human. His skin was a pale yellowish green with splotches of darker colors here or there. His face was the most surprising thing of all though. On his tall neck was a head slightly similar the Covenant Elites but much more gruesome.

Slimy-looking tentacles sat where his mouth should have been and went up the side of his face, making a writhing, living beard that framed his liquid black eyes. The large appendages continued up his head and then cascaded down his head, in thick leathery ropes that almost resembled human hair.

"Of course," replied this alien, his voice sounding gutteral and muffled, "as long as you remember your end of the deal: that you leave Altrany, Bale, and Tech to our devices. Do that, and we shall not have any quarrel."

The man on the screen nodded, "Of course, but I hope, Gaul, that you do not forget the last part of our deal," he said scowling, causing his bushy silver eye brows to bunch together.

"We may be clever Chairman, but we Cryonites keep our promises, I hope _you _remember that," the alien called Gaul sat straighter in his seat, his black eyes gleaming.

"Yes, I shall have the artillery shipped to Earth in one month human time," he continued with a wave of his hand and then gazed out the window to his right at the bright planet below.

Gaul then looked to his left at a pair of screens that connected to his chair. On the first screen there was an image of the planet with a bright red dot directly in the middle of a large green continent. The second screen showed the dark outline of a large city, bright lights flashing back and forth in between buildings as vehicles went by.

"A month?" the Chairman said his dark eyes flashing indignantly, "You bold, lying, scum! You agreed to deliver the goods as soon as you seized Tech!"

"Be careful human, those who slander me often end up with their heads detached! Do not tell me who is bold...when it was _you _who came to _me _asking for _my _help on your endeavor. You will get your weapons at the time _I_ choose and not a day less. Besides, a month should be enough time to tell if the colonies you gave me are really worth what you say," Gaul cut a clawed hand through the air while standing from his seat.

His blood red robes swirled around him as he walked to the window that he had looked out before. The Chairman on the screen frowned but kept his mouth shut in a tight, flat line. The silence stretched for several minutes, the man's dark eyes boring into the back of the alien's head.

Finally Gaul broke the silence, "I believe that we are finished here Chairman, I will contact you after the invasion of Tech." The alien clasped his hands behind his back.

The man's face paled slightly, "You won't harm too many humans civilians correct? Need I remind you that should you do this, everything will be useless and the contract between us v…"

"ENOUGH!" the Cryonite roared but then quickly gained his composure back and then hid a grim smile, as he turned back to face the large screen, "You need not worry about that, I will only strike if they resist."

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><p>John gazed up at the large walls of Tech that now surrounded him; he felt very vulnerable. It wasn't that the walls were guarded or that there were gates now being closed around the city, but just the fact that he was in a confined area that he a limited amount of knowledge about. It was never in his nature to go somewhere where he could easily be attacked. After another minute, both Liam and John had made it to the boy's house. It was small, and like most of the houses was in the shape of a dome. The smooth walls were a pale egg shell color and three, curtained, windows dotted the outside.<p>

As per Liam's instructions, Chief stood to the side in the shadows of the house; luckily at this point in time, the sun had set, leaving just a faint trace of pink and purple in the sky and making his profile all the more undetectable to the naked eye. He watched as small pinpricks of light gradually appeared in the sky marking stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies more prominent.

* * *

><p>"Mom, Dad! I'm home sorry I was late," Liam pushed open the sliding door that lead into his house, he saw his mother and father sitting at the metal, kitchen table sipping coffee out of mugs.<p>

"Hello son, how was your day?" his father asked after a long draught on his mug.

"It was...interesting to say the least, actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about I..." Liam paused as his father raised a hand.

"How about before we begin," the man said his brown eyes gleaming and then he stood "we invite your friend in for a drink."

Liam was frozen for a moment, his parents already knew about John? They must have seen them come through the gate. But with a stiff nod he replied, "Um..yeah okay, sure..." and then turned back towards the door with his dad right behind him.

Leaning against the wall of the house, his keen hearing alert for any sign of danger or approaching strangers as he watched the stars…it had been so long since he enjoyed the simple beauty of the stars from this viewpoint with no war to disturb him. Suddenly the front door of the house opened and he saw that Liam was coming back out. Behind him, Chief saw a man with dark, graying hair come out with his eyes searching, from behind a long straight nose and thick straight eyebrows and then the face of a woman; her dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail with the streaks of gray not taking away the attractive quality from her appearance, two great green eyes peeking out from behind a small pinched nose, and slim curved eyebrows. John also noted how worried they both looked.

"Ummm...hey my parents want...want to know if you'd like to come in," the boy said rather awkwardly.

For a moment John hesitated, was it safe? He didn't even know these people! But he had no other valid options right now so slowly he stepped out so that the two could see him. The woman gave a gasp but tried to stifle it behind a hand. The man gave no outward sign of shock or fear but he did stiffen slightly for a moment.

"Well, would you like to come in?" he asked after a minute, trying to sound polite in an attempt to stifle the stuttering that threatened to leave his throat.

"Sure. That would be nice."

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><p>As he followed the family into the house, John had to stoop to get in the doorway because of his increased height, but luckily he was able to fully straighten inside. Within a few seconds he analyzed the kitchen that he had walked into. Chief noted all the defensible points and the best places for a retreat. The kitchen was covered with white and slate gray tiles. A granite counter ran all around the edge except for a portion that allowed for entry into the living room on the other side.<p>

Directly in the center was a large, round, silver, table that if looked at from above looked like a great big, shiny coin. There was also a fridge, stove and sink to the left overlooking a window. To the right he noticed a floating disk about the size of a dinner plate that had a raised bulb in the center. With a flicker a yellow feminine figure popped up and were it not for her waist-length pixelated hair, she resembled Cortana.

"Dr. Cross would you or your guests like any refreshments?" it asked in a polite tone.

"Coffee please, Celia," the black haired man replied and went to go sit at the table.

Immediately the coffee pot on the other side of the room whirred into life.

Then it clicked, _'An AI for commercial use?' _John was slightly surprised that the government could allow that. Then he had to remind himself that they weren't in the war anymore, that the government probably had things that were even more advanced now.

Suddenly the other AI gave a small yell, "Something is hacking into my system!"

John realized that Cortana must have infiltrated the house's mainframe. And he was right, because a few seconds later the yellow AI flickered and then died and was replaced by the blue figure of Cortana.

"It does feel good to get back into a system, I could spend hours collecting all this new info," she almost laughed.

"My, my you are full of surprises aren't you SPARTAN?" the man called Dr. Cross said with a small smile crossing his features.

Chief just simply shook his head, "Cortana we can't mess around."

"Oh relax John, she was no match for all the knowledge I had collected—she was only about a level three hack," this surprised him even more, usually Cortana wasn't this carefree or reckless.

"It's quite alright no harm done; AI's are always looking for new data. Celia," Dr. Cross spoke up louder. There was silence for a moment when finally directly in the middle of the table a small porthole opened and she appeared.

"Yes Dr. Cross," she said rather crossly while glaring daggers at Cortana.

"Leave this AI alone, she's welcome and please go make sure that these two weren't followed," the man directed.

The AI nodded and then faded away.

"Alright now that little fiasco has been settled, how about you sit and explain where you have been for the past seventy years?"

Chief looked down at the spindly looking chair, he had taken his chances on that ladder but now wasn't the time to look like a fool.

"Thanks but I'll stand," he said and crosses his arms.

Dr. Cross didn't seem surprised at this. From what he remembered hearing about SPARTANs, they weighed almost a ton in their armor. It was then that he turned his attention back to his son. "So, Liam, it seems you had an exciting birthday?"

The blonde boy placed his hands on the table and stared at them for a moment. Then from there he recounted what had happened to him that day. How he had run into the forest and then accidently slept the day away before awakening to see a 'meteor' crash into the clearing. He then recalled that this Spartan had come out of nowhere saying that he was Spartan-117, otherwise known as the Master Chief.

"Then I led him here because he said he needed to speak to the authorities," Liam finished, leaving out the part where he had suspected him of being an alien spy.

For a moment there was silence where Liam's mother looked back and forth between her son and Chief. "So...you're the famous Master Chief huh?" she finally broke in.

"I wouldn't say famous, but yes I am known as Master Chief," he responded, surprised that anyone knew who he was.

"Well actually we _would _say famous. Your story is still told to military personnel in secret circles, though the UMPC forbade it; your story of how you almost single handedly took out the invading Covenant army, and how your AI discovered the secrets to shut them down along with the Halos has spread like wildfire throughout the human colonies," Dr. Cross said with a smile.

"And who would the UPMC be? They weren't in any of the military branches as far as I know," John asked wanting to know more about this 'all powerful' new type of government.

"Well..." the man hesitated while his wife and Liam stiffened, "it's hard to say since well..." Dr. Cross hesitated again and then motioned for silence. There was a sharp click as the porthole in the middle of the table opened and Celia appeared again.

"There is nothing to report," she said crisply.

"Very well Celia, you may power down for the night. I'll need nothing further from you at the moment." the AI nodded to her master, and then leveled a brief venomous glance at Cortana before flickering off.

"How about we move this conversation to my study, where it's more...private. Liam, you can come as well, Cana if you don't mind..." Dr. Cross said almost too brightly.

"Go, I'll be fine." Cana replied with a wave of her hand.

Chief was about to walk forward when he turned to the floating disk and the figure upon it. "Come on Cortana, this must be important." He could have sworn that the AI rolled her eyes but started to step forward when she froze and flickered rapidly.

"Cortana?"

She didn't respond, she didn't even blink. Her figure was frozen on top of the disk.

"Don't fool around! Cortana!" in worry John whacked the disk with the palm of his hand.

For a moment the image died but then flickered back to life with Cortana saying, "...Alright, alright I'm coming! Just hang on...why are you so impatient?"

John looked at her for a moment confused at what had happened, _'Was it some sort of glitch?'_ but he quickly recovered himself and took the chip from the back of his helmet and held it out for Cortana.

A few minutes later Chief, Liam, and Dr. Cross made their way to the back of the house where a small, wooden door sat. It was complexly carved with swirls and pictures. In quick succession, he pushed in four knobs along the door and it opened silently.

"Quickly, so that we may have time to discuss everything."

First Liam went in, then John, and finally the door automatically closed behind them, sending them into darkness. With a click a light flicked on illuminating the small office. Unlike the rest of the house, all the furniture in this room was wooden and had an antique feel to them. Even the light was electric and closer to Chief's time.

"I'm sorry Chief about the secrecy but this is the only room that Celia hasn't got access to and so it's safe from her ears." The doctor apologized.

"But why would we need to hide from her? She's your AI correct?" Cortana asked so that all could hear.

"I may be the one that owns her, but she is programmed by the workers at the factories owned by the UPMC." Dr. Cross said with a small humorless smile.

Chief was silent for a moment pondering this new information but then restated his question, "Who is the UPMC? How did they come into power? And what happened to the UNSC along with the SPARTAN programs?"

Dr. Cross sighed and sat down in the desk chair, ten years seemed to go by in about a few seconds, "These are very confidential questions you're asking Chief; luckily I'm not one to be a rat. I'll start with the first and probably the simplest question," he began raking his fingers through his silver streaked hair.

"The UPMC, or known fully as the United Planetary Militia Congress, are a conjunction of government officials, military leaders, scientific researchers, and nowadays practically the new religion."

"So they took over the UNSC?" John asked feeling even more lost than before.

"No, they totally shut down the UNSC, fired all personnel, shutdown all AIs and artificial beings, destroyed all future plans, and most historically of all shut down the SPARTAN-IV program," Dr. Cross raised a finger for emphasis.

"You mean to tell me that the UNSC continued the SPARTAN program into a fourth generation?"

"Tried is the correct term; after she was found and freed from Onyx, the UNSC had commissioned Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey to start the SPARTAN-IV program. I don't know the specifics of the program, but from what I heard, she had barely got to the experimental stages before she was caught by the newly formed UPMC. Halsey was sentenced as a traitor to the world for unethical treatment of people and was thrown into a ward." At this the man's face furrowed with distaste.

"From here they promised that if the few human colonies that were left after the war trusted them, they would protect them and usher in a new era of peace. They started off as four men who organized and planned what to do with the supplies, people, and military that were left. But people felt that four was not enough and upped the number to five men and five women. They have actually done an okay job at running Earth's and the other ten human colonies but they have become increasingly strict at what people say, how they see them, how money is spent and where the best supplies go. For the last seventy years we have been living under a banner of peace and prosperity; we're only lucky so far that it hasn't grown into tyranny," Dr. Cross said folding his hands so that the finger tips met in a tent.

This actually didn't jive with John…seventy years have passed, and he already didn't like the new regime, "So they basically they became a monarchy with ten people in charge."

Dr. Cross nodded, in assent. "Yes, they take care of us but they expect much more in return."

"...it's actually stupid..." Liam said quietly.

Suddenly a jolting laugh came out of Dr. Cross almost making John jump.

"Ahhh...that it is son but we cannot do anything, or say anything for that matter; at least not yet or else they'll..."

_**BOOM!**_

The sound echoed around the room and then the light went out. It ran through the floor as if from a short distance away. There was an eerie moment of silence and then a whirring came into life, then the light came back on slightly dimmer than before.

"What just happened?" Liam asked his eyes glued to the ceiling, John's hand immediately flew to the gun at his side.

"I don't…know," a flicker of fear crossed the man's face as he stood and unlocked his door.

The three of them crossed back through the living room and into the kitchen. There Cana was staring with shock outside the window.

"Michael! You need to see this!" she said, fear lacing her voice as it began to quiver.

The man crossed over to the front door and it opened with a whoosh. The air inside the house filled with the bitter smell of burnt plastic and metal. Outside it had gotten completely dark and the starry sky would have been clear if not for the greasy black smoke that billowed towards the sky. In the distance the blues, whites, and greens of Tech's lights were replaced with an ominous reddish glow that meant only one thing: fire.

"What happened that could have caused this! Was it electrical?" Cana cried looking with horror at the fleeing people that rushed past them.

"It's no electrical fire, look up there those are battleships and they're firing at Tech," Chief pointed upwards at the large ships that were approaching from the south-east.

"But why? We have no alien enemies and only a fool would attack his own kind's colony!" Dr. Cross was frozen to the spot.

"Apparently that peace has expired," John stated bluntly and unhitched his gun and loaded it.

Dr. Cross stood there for a few minutes, jostled back and forth by running people before a sense of determination had crossed his face and he turned back to the three others standing behind him.

"I need ten minutes with Liam, just ten!" he said to Master Chief.

There was a sharp, high pitched noise that John recognized as the shooting of a plasma pistol and he jumped out of the way just as a beam hit the side of Liam's house. Cement, plaster, metal, and other debris rained down upon them; luckily nothing large had fallen, so no one was in danger of being crushed, but flames were writhing in the giant crater that used to be the kitchen sparking smaller fires from the stove and where the fridge used to be.

As Chief stood back up, helping Cana along as well as she looked in horror at the devastation that was now her home, muttering "…this was the second house we've had…".

It was then that he turned back and said, "You'll be lucky if you get three."


	4. Chapter 4: Escape

Reborn:

**A/N: Sorry I know that it took alittle longer to update and I'm very sorry. School sucks but here's chapter 4! Some big plot curves in this chapter, hope it works out well! Enjoy, review, and please give special thanks to Kurogane7 for being my beta!**

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><p><span>Chapter 4:<span> Escape

Liam looked around in horror at the smoldering building that had used to be his home. Smoke made his throat sting and his eyes smart but he didn't care, he was frozen with absolute shock.

"Liam! Come here, I need to show you something important," he heard his father say behind him urgently.

For a moment he didn't move but then a hand tugged his shoulder, it was John.

"Come on kid we have to get out of here fast so go," he said sternly and pushed him towards his dad.

The two of them skirted the flames near the half wrecked doorway and ran back through the destroyed house to the doctor's office. He looked around and everything that was once was so familiar now was unrecognizable. Furniture was on fire, metal was bent and disfigured and all of Liam's things were gone, turned to ash. Michael pressed the four knobs by the side of his office door and it opened rather sluggishly. The man rushed inside and started throwing papers off his desk and pulled the desk chair away so it toppled backwards.

"Liam help me with this!" Michael ordered the muscles in his arms straining as he tried to push the heavy wooden desk away from the paneled wall.

The blonde boy took hold of the other side of the hand-carved oak desk and heaved, inch by inch the desk slide across the polished hardwood floor, leaving behind white scuff marks. Finally the two of them had moved the piece of furniture enough so that they could get behind it. Liam peered over his father's shoulder and saw a small, square panel attached to the wall. Its tarnished metal cover was in stark contrast with that dark mahogany of the paneled walls.

"I'd hoped that it would never come to this, but I'd always hoped that war wouldn't ever come in your lifetime," Dr. Cross muttered so Liam almost missed what he said.

From around his neck the man took a small circular device that was only about an inch in diameter, at its center was a small, green, glass bulb and sticking out the front was a metal tip that almost looked like it belonged at the end of an SD card. It was obviously some sort of microchip. He took the device out from underneath his shirt and from around his head. With shaky fingers he inserted the chip into the side of the panel and in rapid succession the scanner clicked four times and then opened with the hiss of an air lock. Michael opened the panel's door and rummaged around inside. Several large bangs came from outside and a massive rumble made Liam tense and his heart race.

By this time, Michael had sweat beading on his forehead and upper lip, while he shoved a small metal container into the blonde boy's hands, "Here! Take this and go...go with the SPARTAN; he'll be able to lead you to where it's safe. Cana and I will be fine here!".

"Wait...what! What do you mean dad you'll come with me right I mean...".

"No! Liam you need to...need to know, I am..._not _your father!"

Dr. Cross hung his head almost in shame, his hair falling down to partly hide his face.

Liam sat there dumbstruck with a small metal box in his hands. His thoughts were whirling a mile a minute and hundreds of questions popped into his head only to be shoved aside for the mass amount of confusion and...anger. Anger that for as long as he could remember his 'parents' had lied to him. That every day he had said "Hey Dad?" or "Hey Mom!" he had lived a lie. He looked up into the face of the imposter to see a man whose face was clouded with remorse, regret, fear, and yet love…it was pure and unconditional love.

"Go! You need to hide, I understand that it's confusing and that you probably don't trust me but you _need to GO NOW!_"

Liam sat frozen for another moment but stiffly stood, clutching the metal box to his chest. There suddenly was a loud high pitched whine, the sound of something charging up and both of the male's eyes widened in comprehensive knowledge.

_**BOOM!**_

"LIAM!"

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><p>John ducked behind a building, pulling Cana with him, as another laser blast nearly took off his head.<p>

_'Not even awake for twenty four hours and already I'm fighting for my life…what the hell could be worse?' _he thought sarcastically as he cocked his gun and aimed around the wall.

It was then that he caught sight of something suspicious. The tall, bulky figure that was walking through the smoke and flames turned sideways, giving a clear shot of its head. It definitely wasn't human and from the looks of the people running screaming from it, this creature definitely wasn't friendly. With a quick flex of his trigger finger, John's gun fired and the tall alien fell to the ground due to a clear kill shot to the head.

For a moment Chief took a deep breath now that his only obvious enemy was down for the count. But he looked back around the side of the building, he saw to his horror that the giant figure shook its large head, got back up onto its feet, and started forward towards where Chief and Cana were hiding.

"Ah damn!" he muttered and ushered the scared woman down between two houses and then directed her behind a large metal container that smelled like a dumpster.

"Stay here until I come back, stay quiet and hidden," he ordered and Cana nodded stiffly her face strained with fear.

Slowly Chief crept down to the edge of the building, his senses on high alert for that alien. He scanned back and forth for any movement while he strained his ears for anything that sounded heavy and non human. There was a crash of breaking glass directly next to him and he jumped out into the open with his gun poised to shoot.

The scream of a woman alerted him to the civilian that cowered next to the now smoke-stained building.

"Don't hurt him! Don't TOUCH my baby you monster!" she screamed, tears tracing tracks through her grimy cheeks. There was a small cry and John saw the small child that the woman was shielding behind spread arms, his wide, green eyes supporting bulbous tears that splashed down his face.

"No, I..." he started but stopped when she grabbed her kid and ran around the corner, continuing to yell about a monster.

Just then a high pitched whine started up again; it was another laser cannon charging, and it was close. John scanned the area but he couldn't detect the source.

"Chief behind you!" Cortana warned, so loud inside his helmet that it made his sensitive ears ring.

Despite the irritation he spun around only to jump to the side as the blue flash of the cannon missed him by inches. Well now that Chief knew what had happened to that alien he had been searching for. It was standing only a few feet away holding a massive gun that was about the size of fourteen or fifteen year old person. There was an ear splitting boom as the charge from the weapon hit the already burning house that had belonged to the Cross family.

"NO! Liam! MICHAEL!" Cana came bolting out from her hiding spot and ran, straight past the giant alien trying to reach her family. But as easily as a human would pick up a kitten the alien picked up the woman by her neck with its unoccupied hand.

"Let go! You...you blasted monster!" John was impressed by the woman's bravery as she kicked and punched the alien where ever she could reach.

The creature seemed not to notice and inspected her with one large liquid, black eye. Slimy tentacles reaching outwards and prodding her face. It gave off a series of clicks and muttered garbles as it did this, readjusting it's grip on the laser in it's other hand. Meanwhile John had tried to sneak up and broadside the beast. His gun aimed at its head.

"Ahhh!" Cana gave a yell of disgust and swiped out a hand, smacking the tentacles away.

She made a grave mistake though, her nails hit the undefended face of the creature, digging bloody furrows into its soft, bluish skin.

"NO!" John yelled bolting forward but it was too late.

With a howl the creature gave one pulse of its massive hand around the woman's thin neck as with desperate fingers she scrabbled at the clawed hand. She gasped for breath but her movements grew slow and weak and her lips turned pale. With a gargled sigh Cana's eyes rolled and her head lolled lifelessly to the side. With a surge of strength, Chief tackled the alien, shoving his own weapon into its stomach and firing three times. The creature gave a strangled cry and fell to the ground, the laser weapon rolling several feet away. For a moment the alien was still, like it was dead but right before John's eyes the ghastly wound in it's middle slowly melded together. The only sign that something had been there was a pale scar.

With a roar the alien threw Chief off of him making his go flying into the side of a house with a sickening crunch. Then is stood and went to retrieve its weapon. It took one last look over at the now still Spartan that lay next to the house and with a snort the creature walked away.

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><p>Liam coughed and hacked, trying to get the smoke and debris out of his mouth and lungs. All around him, blazing fires burned and still small pieces of cement and metal rained 's when he saw his dad, or the man he thought was his dad, lying mere feet away with a metal bar sticking through his shoulder.<p>

"Da..." Liam started to say but stopped midway, catching his mistake.

With a heave he shifted the wooden boards that lay on top of him and crawled over to where lay. He could feel that blood was running down his forehead and from a split lip but he ignored them. He also felt the hot feeling of tears building in his eyes as he saw the man's blood spread over his white shirt, staining the fabric bright crimson.

"L...iam...go," Michael pushed through gritted teeth, blood came from the corner of his mouth and from his nose.

"No, you have to tell me more, where did I come from...you're coming with me," Liam frowned blinking rapidly and digging in the rubble to try and free the man in front of him.

"I...d...don't think that's...that's goin' to happen," he removed his arms from around his stomach to reveal the end of another metal bar protruding from his abdomen, the massive red stain made Liam dizzy with shock.

"...no..." the blonde boy couldn't stop it and the tears fell, dripping onto his blood stained hand.

"GO! Now before...something else happens, take th...the box and go..." Michael's eyes fluttered and his breaths were shallow and uneven.

Liam grabbed the now dented metal box from where it was a few feet away and clutched it tightly again. As he went to get up though the man grabbed his wrist and made Liam bend down so that his lips were right next to the boy's ear.

"Liam...Master Chief is the key to finding your past, you were...made for a greater purpose...you were made to be...to be a...hero..." the man gasped for air one last time and his hand went slack around Liam's wrist, his once shining brown eyes dull.

Michael Cross had died.

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><p>Chief groaned and picked himself out of the side of the building. He had left an eight foot tall imprint in the side of the building he had crashed into. He could feel a stabbing pain in his elbow and shoulder, looking down he saw a shard of stone peeking out from the gap between the two pieces of his armor right at his elbow. With a hiss of pain he yanked the shard out, causing blood to flow down his arm. The pain in his shoulder felt like something had cracked. But John ignored the pain; it was a minor distraction compared to what was at hand. He checked his gun and saw with frustration that he only had four rounds left in the small weapon.<p>

"John we have to go, the odds of us getting out alive is at 70 percent right now, that's the best we've ever had." Cortana said, her voice urgent.

" First I need to find Liam and Michael, they may still be alive," he said back turning down the street and running quickly to where the still burning wreckage was that used to be the Cross's home.

"Now our chances are at 60 percent," Cortana interjected.

Chief just ignored her and started searching around in the rubble. As he passed by, steam had suddenly hissed out of a pipe, making someone yell loudly. The Spartan looked up to see a blonde boy limping towards him with a metal container clutched to his chest and blood running down his forehead.

"Kid where's your father?" Chief asked looking down at him.

At first Liam didn't respond, his eyes dull and defeated looking. His long hair sticky with blood and sweat was plastered to his face.

"I have no father, or at least not anymore," he finally said, surprising Chief by how vehemently he said it.

_'The explosion must have killed the Doctor,'_ he thought for a moment but then shook himself, _'stay on task for the time being,'._

"Come on...we need to leave," he responded quietly ushering the youth down another alley.

"Chief...45 percent now..." Cortana warned, she was really starting to grate on the SPARTAN's nerves.

"Cortana, thanks for the warning but would you please _shut up_! I can't think with you jabbering," he muttered, getting himself an odd look from Liam.

An icy silence was the AI's only response. Ignoring her hurt 'feelings' Chief turned his attention to getting himself and Liam back towards the forest that they had come from. Luckily most of Tech's lights had blacked out giving the two of them the cover of darkness and along with John's enhanced sight they were able to go most of the way undetected.

It was only right before the gate that they ran into trouble. Two tentacle-headed guards were standing there, shepherding a terrified group of people back towards the city with huge, red plasma swords. Their guttural voices were ordering the humans around.

"And that would bring your chance at getting out to about a 10 percent," Cortana observed, "plus those civilians are at risk, might as well bring it down to zero," the AI huffed quietly.

Still ignoring Cortana John thought quickly, so far this was the only entrance that John was aware of and he didn't want to risk being seen to go find another one when by this time all of them were probably similarly guarded. He gazed up the sides of the walls that surrounded Tech; their smooth stone walls were impossible to climb without equipment. It would take too long to dig an exit and too noisy. So as far as he could tell their only way out was to fight or have a distraction.

"We're going to have to draw them off and then run for it," he whispered more to Liam than the AI.

The boy glared at the aliens with a deadly hate; he wanted revenge…he wanted to kill all those aliens, but at the moment, he quashed the thoughts of revenge, and understood the SPARTAN's train of thought. He can't avenge anyone if he's dead after all.

"But how? I don't have any weapons, and we need to get those people out of there."

For a moment John thought, his mind going through different scenarios for what they could do. Not much was available…they only had one weapon, low ammo, and innocent people were in the way. Then with one last desperate idea; he checked in a small pack that was on his left that usually carried his supply of grenades. There was one left, one seventy year old grenade was their last hope.

"Do you think that this will distract them _and _get the people away?" he asked as he took out the grenade, a hint of humor in his voice.

Liam gave an almost evil smile and nodded, "That should do the trick nicely."

The two aliens laughed evilly as they waved their plasma swords back and forth, forcing another scream from the ten humans before them. Their midnight eyes glittered with glee as the larger one on the left stepped forward and picked up a woman by her waist.

A horrified shriek issued from the girl's mouth as she beat upon the alien's fist with shaking hands. Below her male companion rushed forward and tried to reach the woman's dangling ankle.

"Let her go you squid-faced bastard!" he shouted and punched at the creatures.

But they simply laughed and kicked the man away. Then suddenly there was a sharp crack, a small round device had flown through the air and landed on the paved road in front of the alien's feet. It started beeping rapidly and all the people scattered, screaming. It beeped one last time and then it stopped.

The two aliens had closed their eyes and raised their hands in defense but opened them and inspected the tiny device at their feet. One nudged the other with its elbow, they started chuckling again and picked it up.

"Ahahaha...boom!" the one with the grenade said to his companion with a laugh, waving his hands in mock fear.

"Hey ugly!" a voice called, the laughing stopped immediately.

The two aliens stared over at a tall figure clad in dark green armor. They lifted their weapons and started forward, guttural growls catching in their throats.

"Thanks for holding that thing for me!" the figure said and lifted a small remote detonator.

_**Boom!**_

Within seconds after pressing the button on the detonator, there was nothing left of the aliens except little falling bits of matter and the destroyed remains of their plasma swords.

"Excellent idea John," Cortana piped in, her voice much happier now.

"What happened to the only 0 percent chance of surviving?" he said back.

"You do have that luck after all, I guess that stayed with you after all these years,".

As the AI said this Liam came up grimly beside Chief, his eyes blazing in triumph but they also spoke of pain and loss, "They're gone?".

The Spartan nodded, " Yes, let's see them regenerate from that."

Then the two of them ran through the gate and into the black night beyond. They ran almost nonstop, Chief having to slow his pace slightly because of his longer legs. Within ten minutes the two of them had made it back to the ledge that led up the cliff face and into the forest above. The whole journey took about twenty minutes in total. When John and Liam had made it back to the edge of the forest the boy bent double with his hands on his knees, panting. John though was barely even fatigued.

"Do you think...you could slow it down a bit there..." the boy complained as he gained back his breath and rubbed out a stitch in his side, pale moonlight illuminating the SPARTAN before him in a misty glow.

"Can't, those aliens will be looking for refugees especially out in these woods. It's best if we keep moving until morning." John responded locking his gun.

"_Morning!_" Liam said angrily, he may have been in good shape but not enough to run for the next six hours or more.

"You need to man up, would you rather get caught by those _things_?" Chief retorted, his already frayed nerves sparking at the boy's attitude, now was not the time to feel needy.

"John, he's only just a kid won't you..."

"No Cortana we're all in danger," he muttered back, not needing her imput.

"You're hurt and you won't even consider resting," Liam indicated the dried blood on Chief's elbow,"NO I don't want to be captured! It's just I'm hurt too and tired. I'm not a soldier like you!" Liam said back balling his hands into fists and walking up to Chief,

"You need to learn to be one then."

This stopped the blonde boy in his tracks; a stony silence filled the space then. Liam glaring into the emotionless mask of the SPARTAN. John gave a sigh and then turned, he continued walking into the foliage of the forest, sweeping the vines and broad-leafed plants aside.

"Hey! You're just going to leave me!" Liam said with surprise.

Chief didn't answer; he wasn't trained to be a babysitter. He was trained to follow orders, fulfill them and defeat anything that came in his way. For the past seventy years the human race hadn't needed his help, now they did again and he had to answer that call. He had to save his fellow humans if not for himself then for the ones who had died that night and for the ones now in danger. Whether the kid came or not was up to him and him alone

The brush behind John rustled and Liam came bolting through the plants, nearly tripping over some of them in his haste.

"HEY! Hey wait!" Chief stopped and turned his head to look back at the kid.

"I'm still coming with you, my da... I mean Michael, he said that you could hold some sort of an answer for me, and whether _you _like it or not I'm coming with you," he shifted his grip on the metal box in his hand.

"Only if you can keep up that is." Chief responded then turned back and continued his brisk strides through the woods.

Liam nodded, determined to find out what his fake father had left for him. And if it meant trekking through forest until dawn, then he would have to do it. That night Liam swore on his own life that he would find out the truth of who he _really _was. And what kind of hero he was ment to be.


	5. Chapter 5: Hologram

Reborn:

**A/N: Ya! Chapter five, on a roll I hope you like it! I was pressed for time because I'm going on vacation this weekend so I wouldn't be able to type. So it's a little shorter than usual. R&R please!**

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><p><span>Chapter 5:<span> Hologram

John swept his gun from side to side as he and Liam came up to a smaller clearing that was deep in the forest. They had been walking for hours now. For so long that now the inky sky was turning pale and the stars had started to fade above the canopy of trees. After a moment of nothing but the chirping of crickets John lowered his weapon and walked slowly into the clearing. Liam trudged along slowly behind him, his feet dragging and eyes half open. But still he clutched the metal container that had given him, its mysterious contents bumping around inside. Chief turned then after scanning the clearing one last time to look back at the kid. He was standing there almost asleep on his feet and the SPARTAN was reminded of himself all those years ago when he was first been trained by Officer Franklin Mendez. How he bellowed at all the SPARTAN recruits to run faster, work harder, and to quote, "Get off their lazy arses!" and especially how tired he and the others were after their first day of training.

"John, I believe that we should stop, both you and Liam are injured and the boy is ready to collapse," Cortana said softly, concern emanating from her voice for both of them.

Chief gave a sigh and nodded, "Alright, we'll camp here for the night but I'll keep watch while the kid rests. I'm still uneasy about those squid aliens."

There was a sigh from the blonde boy and with a soft thump fell back onto the ground, "Finally! Now I get to sleep!"

Lazily Liam sat up and readjusted himself, tucked his box under his head and then lay back down. Almost immediately, his breathing slowed as he fell asleep. John rolled his shoulders, grunting at the injured one as it throbbed in unison with his elbow. He walked over to a nearby tree and sat down with relief to ease his sore joints. Then reaching up he detached his helmet and twisted it free. John's face fell into the shadow as he leaned back against the rough bark of the tree, taking a deep breath of the pre-dawn air. Seventy years in a helmet could get really stuffy. After another minute of rest he took out the small chip in the back of his helmet holding it up to face.

"So, how was the first day back in the real world?" the AI's voice came from the chip, it's blue light pulsed with each syllable.

"If it didn't suck like Hell, it wouldn't be the real world."

At that Cortana gave a small spurt of laughter, "What did you want to come back for? To seek out retirement, grow old and have a family? Did Cryo turn you soft?"

"No I just didn't expect to see all this crap on my first day," he responded looking back up at the now grayish pink sky, scenes of that day replaying in his mind, they seemed like all the others of war; the carnage everywhere, the adrenaline pumping, and the ever present urge to survive.

It was what he was made for: to win the battle and still be in one piece. Over in the center of the clearing, Liam rolled over and mumbled something in his sleep, as a frown overcoming his still smoke-stained, and blood splattered face.

"Do you think that he's seriously injured?" Cortana asked after a moment.

"Not on the outside, he might have a few cuts and bruises but I think his family's death hurt him more," John replied, thinking back to what the boy had said.

_"I don't have a father, at least not anymore…"_

What he had said seemed to have more meaning then just his father being dead but what would cause him to think of Michael as not his father? Chief didn't know what to think, he barely knew the kid so what his problems were, they weren't exactly John's own problem. Well except...

"John, what do you think Michael meant when he said that you had some sort of answer for him?" the AI continued not missing a beat.

"I've no idea; but he followed us all the way out here by believing that so it must be important."

The silence after that stretched longer and longer. Bit by bit the sky lightened, it went from grayish pink, to pinkish yellow, yellow-orange, and then purple/orange. Birds started calling from the trees and small rustles alerted to small animals moving from their homes. That was the last thing Chief remembered when he jolted awake. The sound of heavier rustling filling the air, the snapping of branches, and the blinding sunlight that streamed through the trees; it was in that instant he bolted upright grabbing his helmet from the ground and shoved it back on. Even though his gun had almost no ammo, he brought it up and swept it around until he found the black figure moving clumsily through the underbrush.

With a yell he leaped into the bushes and tackled the intruder shoving the gun into its stomach.

"AAAKK! UFFFF...Hey it's..it's me!" the blonde figure squirmed and yelled as Chief's bulk sent him to the ground.

For a moment the SPARTAN didn't know what had happened but then looked down to see Liam's face struggling underneath his large knee which kept him pinned to the ground. From his hands rolled many small green shapes that were about the size of baseballs.

"Do...you...think you...could let...me...breathe?" the boy gasped and John hastily got up.

There was a deep intake of breath and Liam pushed himself up into a sitting position, rubbed his aching chest with his left hand.

"What were you doing!" he accused after a moment, bending down to retrieve one of the green shapes that had fallen out of his hands.

"I was on guard and thought you were an alien," Chief responded back, putting his weapon back into its hoister angrily.

"Oh yeah right, guarding huh? You were snoozing away half the day, it's almost one o'clock," Liam sneered, filling his shirt with what John assumed to be fruit, their smooth green skins were shiny like an apple's.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he demanded, realizing now the brightness of the sun and it's position of it in the sky.

"Don't blame him John, I assumed that you needed it and it seemed safe so I let you be. As you can see from your reaction, we would have been perfectly safe anyway," Cortana interrupted her voice loud enough so that both of the males could hear her.

He didn't respond back but turned and walked back into the clearing, anger bubbling inside of him at the AI. Cortana was getting too uninhibited for John's taste; along with Liam's childish innocence it frustrated him to no end. It made him feel like nothing was going fast, that they were all running out of time.

John entered the clearing again and started pacing, trying to get his mind off of their predicament. But nothing helped; Eevery thought was either directed on how they were going to get somewhere secure or how much ammunition that he would need.

"Hey," Liam said from behind Chief.

The SPARTAN stopped his pacing and turned stiffly to the youth, trying to restrain his rising irritation.

"I understand that you're frustrated and angry, believe me the first thing on my mind is to kill those damned aliens," Liam frowned for a second but then shook his head, "but we can't do anything without a plan and a little rest. Even you SPARTANs need rest right?" the kid gave a wary grin.

Despite his age and inexperience, what Liam said was true. For the past day all Chief had been running on were his adrenaline high and his urge to find out what had happened. Now that he actually took a breath and looked at the present, he felt the pit that was his stomach and the ache in his shoulder and arm.

But the inner soldier in him still pushed to be heard. _Plan, fight, get safe._

"How about for starters you eat something," the blonde kid tossed one of the fist-sized green fruit and John caught it mid air.

"It's called a Brune Apple, they taste almost like a mixture of a orange and pear," he explained and then took a bite out of his own fruit.

After a moment Chief removed his helmet and then warily took a bite. The kid was right the fruit did taste like a mix of an orange and pear. It felt so good to have finally something substantial to eat and not just rations that they were given for missions.

"See you look better already," Liam finished his first fruit and tossed it into the woods behind him.

Within just a minute the two of them demolished the small bushel that Liam had been able to get but they were satisfied for the time being. For a moment both Chief and Liam just looked around and rested, enjoying their respite from the horrors that they had gone through just hours before.

With a sigh John sat up and reattached his helmet and stood, "Come on, we can't sit around all day, even you should know that," he said to Liam.

With a nod the kid got up as well and retrieved the metal box that he had been carrying with him the whole time. John looked at it, it didn't seem that important. It was a 12x6x6 inch metal boz with multiple dents, scratches, and it seemed no way to open it.

"Where'd you get that?" he asked pointing a finger at the box in the kid's hands.

Liam frowned, "From Michael, he said that he had hoped I'd never need it," he answered.

"Do you want to open it?"

The question surprised Liam, almost as much as it surprise Chief himself, but then the boy nodded, curiosity taking over his moment of anger at his late father.

Chief unsheathed the knife at his side and held his hand out for the box. Without a word the blonde boy handed it over and watched as John put the tip of the serrated knife into the indentation that ran all the way around the box, as if a cover had been welded closed.

After a minute of working the blade around the edge of the container the SPARTAN handed the box back over and sheathed his knife. Liam put his finger nails right at the edge and pulled against the now free cover. It didn't budge. Gripping it harder Liam pulled again, this time with a small squeak the lid lifted a few centimeters. Again and again the boy heaved at the cover with John looking on.

Finally with one last pull the lid was yanked off and Liam dropped it to the ground with a hollow clang. Then his looked into the box with a look of confusion. All there was inside the container was a small, round, disk. Liam grabbed the disk and let the box clatter to the ground alongside its lid.

"It's a hologram projector," Cortana blurted out, surprise Chief.

"For what?" Liam asked turning the projector left and right in his hand.

"You have to press the button to find out."

The boy flipped the disk over and then cautiously presses the small black button that protruded from the side. For a moment nothing happened but then a blue figure appeared, floating above the disk.

"Dr. Halsey!" John recognized the face of the woman.

"Hello Liam, if you're watching this, then I regret to tell you that it means that this is the time for the SPARTANs to be reinstated. By the time you see this, I would have been dead, but my work lives on, hidden from the UPMC. You need to find them and warn them about the coming war that is now upon you," the hologram instructed to a wide-eyed Liam, his mouth open in a 'o'.

"I never wanted the times to be so desperate that the SPARTAN programs had to start again, but time and fate have proven that the rewards have outweighed my wishes. You Liam are the future of the human race; you are the next generation. Your journey starts at the Athum Mines, or more locally known as Hydra Canyon. There is where you'll find what you need. Good luck, and Godspeed." and with that the hologram flickered and died, leaving a stunned silence behind.

"What the HELL was that?" Liam finally said, his hands shaking, with either fear or anger John couldn't tell.

"That was Dr. Catherine Halsey, a former employee of the late Office of Naval Intelligence, or ONI. She was directly related to the SPARTAN II program." Chief explained, slightly confused about what she had said.

"What did she mean that I was the next generation? Who are _they_? Why am I the future of the human race?" the kid's eyes were wild in fear now, he started walking back and forth in a frenzy, running his fingers through his uncombed hair.

"I...I don't know," John responded, "Cortana do you have any ideas?" he asked, wanting answers just as much as Liam did.

The AI was silent for a few moments but then slowly said, "I can only guess that _they _refers to other SPARTANs, as for why you...it could be anything," she then fell uncharacteristically quiet, making John feel even more uneasy.

"She said something about Hydra Canyon correct?" Chief asked, clutching to the one clue that might lead to some answers for all of them.

"Yeah, that's about three or four leagues from here to the west. But what could be hidden in the Canyon?"

"My best guess...SPARTANs, or at least something to combat this time of war that is about to come," Chief said, "if what Dr. Halsey said was true then we'd better hurry, we can probably make those leagues in another day or so."

Liam nodded again, pocketing the hologram projector. The drive to find out who he really was ignited again like a wild fire.

* * *

><p>"You betrayed me Head Chairman," Gaul growled, pacing in front of the kneeling figure in front of him.<p>

"H...how did I betray you, I let you take Tech without any resistance," the figure stuttered, a bruise forming over his left eye.

"LIES!" the alien bellowed, throwing his arms up into the air, "you humans are all the same, lying just to save your own skins!"

"I have no idea what..."

There was a sharp crack as Gaul backhanded the Chairman's face, "Silence, and do not tell me you did not send _this _to thwart my invasion," the alien held up a fuzzy picture of a large figure clad in dark green armor.

"I...I swear...I've never seen that _thing _before...it's not human," the human muttered, wiping the blood that dripped from his split lip.

"Then tell me...why was it defending TECH LIKE A HUMAN!" Gaul yelled again, the guards at the doorway flinching, "that _thing _as you put it killed my two Lieutenants and severely injured my Colonel!"

Gaul started pacing again, observing the picture that was in his hand with jet black eyes as the Chairman was at a loss for words, his dark eyes wide in fear. He watched as the pathetic human studied the picture carefully, and then in the back of the man's mind a memory began to rise to the surface…it gradually cleared up until he finally remembered something he had seen. And upon finding the memory of what he had seen, his eyes widened, and his skin began to pale even more.

"No…impossible…there's no way that it could be…"

"WHAT IS IT YOU PATHETIC LITTLE WORM!"

The hesitance in the Chairman's voice was clear…perhaps if he told the truth, he would be spared any future beatings.

"If I'm correct Gaul, that would be a SPARTAN. They were supersoldiers back in the old Human-Covenant War that were said to have been able to take out thousands of Covenant warriors. It was rumored that they had all been KIA during the war, but apparently not. But I _ASSURE _you lord Gaul that it is not under my control. If I had any inclination that one had survived I would have shut it down!" Chairman almost pleaded.

Gaul paused for a moment taking in the human's words. _'A supersoldier he says; and judging from what my men have told me, it is one that could impact my plans far more then I feared,'. _He paced some more, his now navy blue robes swirling around his feet. Trailing behind him like an inky blue river.

"Chairman, find this SPARTAN and bring him back under UPMC control; he is not to be let loose like this," the alien had quieted his voice to a deadly whisper.

The man nodded, letting out his pent up breath. Then with a wave of the talons on his hand the guards escorted the Chairman from the presence of Gaul. Within minutes they returned.

"Arruk," the alien lord commanded.

"Yes, sire!" the squid faced alien on the right saluted, his hand tightening its grip on his plasma spear.

"When that human finds that so-called supersoldier would you be so kind as to do me a favor?" he asked quietly, his eyes becoming slits.

"Of course sire, what is your wish?" the guard bowed deeply, moisture appearing on his pale forehead.

"Kill him…I wish for his head to be mounted on my wall as an example to any human that dares rise up against us."

"Yes your majesty."

With that, Arruk turned and left. Gaul would have his vengeance, and then all of humanity would bow before him—as long as that SPARTAN lived, there was a chance that humanity would grow a spine and his plans for dominating them would be ruined.

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><p><strong>AN: I hoped you liked it! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6: Sunk

Reborn:

**A/N: Okay here's chap. 6! Sorry about the late update, hope you like it, also wish me luck with school, it's being a real pain in the rear. REVIEW PLEASE!**

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><p><span>Chapter 6:<span> Sunk

Liam put his hands on his hips and took a deep breath. It had been hours since he and John had left that clearing. They were now heading towards Hydra Canyon. Unfortunately, they had to travel through the dense forest, a lake, and into the maze of the canyons itself. So far in the past day, they had made it almost all the way through the forest without much incident but they were still low on supplies which worried both him and the SPARTAN. For all their meals so far, Liam had found the fruit he recognized along with a few plants that his mother had shown him that were edible that they had grown in a window box. But two fully grown males couldn't live just off that for much longer.

"Kid, do you know if there are any Moa on this planet? They can be eaten if need be," John asked looking down the steep hill that they now had to climb down to get out of the forest.

"Do you mean the big bird?" Liam asked, coming up beside him.

"Yes...the big bird," Chief almost sighed at this boy's simplicity.

"There are a few that live around here, mostly their domesticated by humans now though; the wild ones are hard to catch," he responded.

Growing up on Reach the Moa had been the prized food item that all trainees had to catch to survive the harsh training program for SPARTANs. Whether for a survival exercise or for target practice, the Moa was always first on the list. It almost seemed humorous that it had come down to catching the blasted bird again to keep going, after all those years.

"Not if you have the right bait," he muttered back and then plunged back into the foliage, leaving Liam to follow behind.

For the next few hours, they made their way down the hill. Liam watched as John almost effortlessly made his way through the trees, as if just going for an everyday stroll. Unlike Liam who was slipping on loose earth, tripping over roots, and getting whacked in the head by tree branches. It also seemed liked time had slowed down, the sun inched across the sky as if taunting the boy with its hot rays of light.

Finally, after three grueling hours both he and Chief made it to the bottom of the steep rise and were now mere yards away from the lapping shores of a large lake. To the right of the lake was a large river that led off and dropped into a rumbling waterfall. To the left was the gigantic waterfall that fed the enormous body of water. But there was no straight way across the water.

"L...Lake Costa Serna," Liam panted looking over the glimmering surface of the water, imagining going for a swim to relieve his sweaty limbs, and possibly wash his clothes.

"Is there any way to cross it safely?" John asked kneeling by the edge of the water and dipping his gloved finger into the cool water.

"Oh yeah sure...if you have a boat, if not...well have a nice time swimming in that armor of yours," Liam rolled his eyes and sat down beside the lake as well.

Ignoring the boy's sarcasm, John looked across the water to the far shore; it did seem like a mighty long swim, even for a SPARTAN. Plus the kid would slow him down as well, _'Sure is one hell of a pain not to be working alone, or at least with other SPARTANs,' _he thought.

"What about the waterfall Chief?" Cortana added

"What about it?"

He could almost hear the AI sigh in impatience. "If there's space behind it, you could get across that way; it's the narrowest point besides that river," she explained. It made sense; it would still be risky though with wet rocks and the constant pounding of water on the rock above them, could be dangerous. But the idea of getting across the lake quickly outweighed the idea of staying even longer to either make a boat or to swim.

"Alright, come on let's go," he said loud enough for Liam to hear him. He almost looked like he was going to protest but kept his mouth thankfully shut and stood up from the minutes they both were at the foot of the waterfall, misty spray making Liam's hair and clothes damp, while fogging Chief's visor with water droplets. Believe it or not Cortana was right; there was a small gravel path underneath the waterfall that led all the way across to the other side of the lake.

_'How'd she know?' _John wondered but soon discounted the thought; she was just thinking logically about the terrain, nothing told her where they were.

Slowly, with his back against the rock wall, Chief edged his way down the slippery path. His wide were shoulders preventing him from walking normally. Liam followed behind him, being able to travel normally he made better progress than the SPARTAN in his bulky armor. Halfway across there came a problem: a section of the gravel path had collapsed into the water, leaving a four or five foot gap in which foamy, white water swirled swiftly. They both would have to jump.

With a quick glance John judged the distance and took a breath. Then digging his feet into the loose gravel he pushed with his legs and jumped the gap. Liam looked on apprehensively.

"Come, just jump," John called across, the roar of the water above their heads muffling his voice.

But just as Liam was about to jump there was a crack and they looked up to see a section of the gray granite shelf above them had broken off, followed by a spurt of water, and was tumbling toward Chief. With a grunt, the SPARTAN ducked to the side as the chunk of gray rock missed his head by mere inches. But the movement had made the gravel underneath the man loosen even more than it already was, and fall into the water inches away.

In almost slow motion, Liam watched as John fell backwards into the frothing, churning water where the waterfall's deluge pounded down. Each moment felt like an eternity, Liam's heartbeat loud in his ears. But even after a whole half a minute the SPARTAN did not resurface.

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><p>John sputtered as his helmet was filled with the icy water; he couldn't see anything, hear anything over the pounding water, and he couldn't shout or even breathe. Chief tried pushing himself upwards with strokes of his arms but his water-logged armor felt like it weighed a hundred times more than it usually did.<p>

"J_..zzzzzttt..._hon!" Cortana buzzed incoherantly as the water nearly finished filling his helmet.

Desperately, John waved his arms trying to swim, but his movements were too sluggish and his armor was like hanging a millstone around his neck, dragging him deeper into the lake. For another minute, Chief held his breath, struggling to even remove his helmet. But as the seconds ticked on and on, his lungs started to burn and his chest began to feel tight and constricting. With one last desperate attempt, John tried to swim out from underneath the pounding water fall and then somehow swim back up. There was a sudden yank and John felt a shake on his shoulder, but he was too out of it to respond. The water next to him was being disturbed as someone pulled and thrashed upward while holding his wrist.

There was another yank, harder this time. It was underneath his arms and pulling him towards the watery sunlight. The air whooshed out of his lungs at the force, filling his blurry vision with a mass of white bubbles and then it went black.

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><p>"HEY!" the yell and a hit to his shoulder aroused John into bright sunlight.<p>

With a start, he grabbed his gun from his hip, thinking of ambushes and attacks and started to pull it out but within seconds he felt the barrel of another hand gun being thrust up under his chin.

"Don't even...one wrong move and you'll be back in that lake without a head!" a male voice growled.

"DAMN!" John muttered, shifted somewhat and blinking the water out of his eyes.

His helmet had been removed and he saw that a dark skinned man, about in his mid thirties was glaring at him with dark brown eyes. His black hair was cut short like most soldiers and he wore a dark, rusty colored armor suit, similar to MJOLNIR but more streamlined and the sections weren't as thick.

"You're a SPARTAN!" a voice called out, answering Chief's own question.

Looking out of the corner of his eye he saw that another suited person, but with a helmet, had Liam in a head lock and was threatening him with a knife. But the eighteen year old wasn't quite finished; he elbowed, punched, and kicked at his adversary. Earning him bruised elbows, and a tighter hold of the SPARTAN that had captured him. This SPARTAN was in a deep blue suit that was slightly slimmer than the guy in front of Chief, suggesting it was a woman.

"Shut up! Or you _and _your friend will be on a one way street to Hell," the voice of the blue SPARTAN was unmistakably female; this seemed to enrage Liam even more.

"Let GO!"

Turning his attention back to his own problem he looked the ebony skinned man in front of him right in the eye.

"We aren't here to attack you, we were actually looking to see if you existed," Chief tried to explain.

"You mean spy, you an UPMC spy aren't you! In a fancy old relic of a suit in order to gain our trust!" the man grumbled, clicking his gun.

"NO! That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Liam shouted, getting a whack from the female soldier.

"No, we aren't spies. We were sent here by Dr. Halsey to try and stop the UPMC. Her first instructions were to go and find others in Hydra Canyon," John kept a calm voice despite his rising apprehension.

"Oh sure," the man said sarcastically, "and did the trees start talking to you on your way here telling you to go for a swim?" Chief was now getting frustrated.

_"Hello Liam, if you're watching this, then I regret to tell you that it means that this is the time for the SPARTANs to be reinstated. By the time you see this, I would have been dead, but my work lives on..."_

The SPARTAN's heads whipped to stare at Liam who was holding out the hologram projector with the miniature figure of Catherine Halsey speaking. For the next minute, the boy let the message play before turning it off with a click. There was dead silence for almost five minutes; Chief was looking at the SPARTANs, the SPARTANs looking at Liam, and Liam looking at Chief. Finally it was broken by the male soldier.

"Damn, and I wanted to see some UPMC head explode," he removed his gun from John's throat and slowly stood.

The female did the same but a little more hesitantly. With a deep breath John stood spitting some more inhaled water onto the shore of the lake.

"Where the hell did you come from?" he asked walking away and came to stand next to Liam, across from the two SPARTANs.

"We were scouting for some supplies, but if you really aren't from the UPMC how come you're wearing that ancient antique of a suit? And why is the pipsqueak with you?" the girl asked, crossing her arms, her black visor flashing.

"PIP WHAT!" Liam growled but was stopped by Chief's hand on his shoulder.

"For the suit, it was mine from 2552. I'm a SPARTAN-II; Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, as for the kid he was the one that Dr. Halsey is actually interested in."

The look on the guy's face was quite humorous. His dark eyes grew very big and his mouth dropped a little to reveal his teeth. As for the woman, her arms dropped to her sides and she tilted her head as if considering whether or not to punch him.

"YOU'RE Master Chief!"

He gave a brisk nod, not used to the astonishment or shock of announcing himself. The two SPARTANs looked at each other for a moment then turned and walked away a few feet.

"Clyde are you serious! We can't bring them back with us, Mark would KILL us!" the girl whispered to her companion.

"But Jen it's _the _Master Chief, I mean he could help us," Clyde said back, trying to reason with her.

"What about the kid, he could be a spy..." Jen shot back, a little too loudly.

"The message that Halsey gave clearly said Liam, do you know who that could be?" he said back, saying the words _who _and _that _with emphasis.

Jen was silent for a moment, clearly thinking every loop hole through. "But what if he's not him?" she finally asked, defeat clearly in her voice.

"We can't pass up the chance to find out, we all have been waiting for a long time. If we don't act now we might never get another chance," Clyde said and then turned back to Liam and John.

"We'll take you back to our base, our leader will be interested to see you," Clide said and then with a wave motioned for them to go into the surrounding forest.

Liam looked skeptically up at John but rolled his eyes and followed as the SPARTAN nodded. He himself was about to continue but remembered he still didn't have his helmet.

"Clyde," he said, remembering the man's name.

The dark skinned man turned with an eye brow raised.

"Do you still have my helmet?"

The other SPARTAN turned for a moment and said something inaudible to Jen then turned back to Chief, "No, we pulled it off you underwater. It's probably at the bottom of the lake by now. Why?"

A cold pit formed in Chief's chest as he imagined his helmet, loaded with it's AI chip in the back compartment.

"I...I had an AI chip loaded into it, she was the last thing I had connected to 2552..." he said the last part softly.

"That's too bad, but AI's are a dollar a pop nowadays, besides it's not liked she was a friend or anything right?" Clide laughed and continued into the woods.

"No...you're wrong." John muttered and looked into the murky depths of the lake one last time.

Then, feeling like he had just seen a fellow soldier get shot, he turned and strode into the forest.


	7. Chapter 7: Virus

Reborn:

**A/N: Hey sorry for the really late updates but my life has been a madhouse lately. I won't update for a little while again cause i'm going on a mission trip to Guatemala so wish me luck! I hope you enjoy this and please review!**

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><p><span>Chapter 7:<span> Business of Killing

Chief walked along, the short scrub brush scraping at his leg armor giving off an angry hissing noise. The two new SPARTANs that he and Liam had met were leading them on a long and arduous journey through the small grassy plain before coming to the desert and Hydra Canyon. They were obviously leading them around in circles, to shake off anyone trying to follow them, or at least confuse them, before actually taking them to their headquarters.

For the entire span of the journey the two new SPARTANs had said almost nothing to John and Liam. Except for the sparing warning when an obstacle was coming up. Chief couldn't blame them though they were obviously hunted by the UMPC and accepting two totally new strangers. They continued walking for another few minutes when slowly and almost inconspicuously a high pitched buzz started up it seemed to high for most normal humans to hear but the irritating noise was making John want to clap his hands over his sensitive ears. The other SPARTANs heard it too and stopped their brisk march forward and quickly scanned the sky above them with sharp eyes. Surprisingly though, Liam squinted upward and covered his ears in open annoyance at the increasing volume of the buzz. Slowly ever so slowly six shapes appeared in the hazy looking west. They seemed to hover above the ground and were approaching rapidly like they were propelled by engines.

"We need to find cover _NOW!_" Jen said gruffly and immediately grabbed Liam's wrist and knelt down into the gritty soil next to a sprinkling of dead brush.

Before Chief could even ask what was going on the two of them vanished behind the SPARTAN's active camouflage rendering them both undetectable. Clyde nodded to Chief and then grabbed his own wrist and then vanished; _'How can he make me invisible as well?' _Chief thought staring at where his feet used to be, _'and how can last longer than a few seconds?'_

Within seconds the plain looked empty once more. After another minute the shapes took a more solid form as they came closer. It seemed that the humanoid figures were riding some sort of single person craft that looked reminiscent of a motor bike that glided over the earth a good foot or so. Another minute went by and the crafts got closer revealing five human males and one female were controlling the hover bikes. Another few moments and the group were nearly on top of the invisible SPARTANs in front of them but they passed by almost undetected...almost.

"Hey wait a minute, the scanner picked up something right around here," one of the men said slowing his vehicle to a halt.

The other five followed his lead and they all parked only about two-hundred feet away. They turned off their bikes and the high pitched buzz stopped replaced by the crunch of sand underneath the feet of the scouts.

"The scanner is picking up four heat signatures less than half a click away," the same man said walking a few steps closer.

All six of them continued to amble towards the hidden others muttering among themselves and slowly unhitching their small hand guns from their hips. Chief felt his heartbeat increase as adrenaline started coursing through his veins and several strategies came to mind to handle the situation.

The first was to wait for the six scouts to get close enough and then capture them. Second was to stay hidden and pray that they didn't detect them. That didn't seem so great to John, but the third wasn't so great either. He could reveal himself and lead them away from his comrades then kill them off himself, but what about the others? Did they have a plan?

The soldiers came even closer but neither Jen nor Clyde moved from their position. Now the soldiers were within feet of them; so close that John could see the large scar that stretched over one of the men's forehead.

"The scanner must be faulty, there's nothing here," the woman said in a half exasperated tone turning back to her hover bike.

The other men looked at each other and then nodded before they too turned and headed back to their vehicles. Chief could feel his heart beat slow down slightly and the anxiety of being caught lessened the tension that had curled in his chest. To his right, he could hear one of the other two whether it be Jen or Liam he wasn't sure, shift around sending small puffs of the dusty ground swirling about.

Someone sniffed loudly and then dread filled John once more at the sharp intake of breath. "AACHOO!" the loud sneeze seemed to hang in the air for a moment.

"What the Hell was that?" the soldier with the scar on his face said whipping around and holding his weapon up and panning around the area directly in front of the hidden group.

"Damn it all!" Clyde growled and let go of John's wrist.

Both of the SPARTANs appeared suddenly, startling the enemy soldiers. After a second, Jen joined them leaving a guilty looking Liam standing in back of them.

"They're SPARTANs!" the woman yelled and immediately opened fire on them.

Chief leapt to the side dragging the blonde boy down with him, with a very enraged look in his eyes. "Stay down until this is over!" he ordered and then stood back up before leaping into the fray.

Clyde and Jen rushed at the soldiers causing them to shrink back in horror. The female SPARTAN jumped at the first male scout and violently elbowed him in the face causing blood to spurt onto the ground from his now shattered nose. Then she kneed him in the stomach making him double over in pain then finished him off with a single overhead slam to the back of his head that caused a very bloody second was more hesitant and fired three shaky shots at Jen which all missed as she ran side-to-side to dodge the rounds. As he scrambled to reload his weapon, the SPARTAN rushed ahead and jammed her combat knife into his torso. He gave a hitched gasp and a dribble of blood passed from his lips. The woman grunted and twisted the blade out of the dying soldier before finishing him off with a single spin to ensure his end—leaving him with a wound in his stomach and another one across his neck.

Meanwhile Clyde had taken on two other men who were skittishly circling around their larger opponent. Clyde jumped forward scaring one of the soldiers into firing a shot that pinged harmlessly against his shields. Then he roughly punched him in the gut before twisting the man's head so that a wet snap was very audible and the man fell to the ground like a pile of bricks and didn't move. The second gave a whimpered cry and started to turn to run back to his bike two hundred yards away. Clyde waited a full five seconds and then took out his own handgun, aimed right at the man's head and fired. The cowardly soldier was lucky that his death was quick before he fell down and kicked up a cloud of dust upon impact.

John was left to engage the last male soldier and the female soldier. The male had a viscous snarl on his face and had his own minigun trained on his uncovered face.

"Ready to surrender?" he muttered winding up the motors of the large gun.

"Funny, I was going to asked you the same question!" The large man simply opened fire as John started running to the left knowing how heavy the minigun would have been in relation to his opponent and that body shots were likely to be useless judging by how heavily-armored that man was. His next move was to run up to the heavy weapons specialist from behind, slide under the sweeping motion of his minigun, pull out his knife from its holster on his cuirass upon getting back up, and stabbing him under the chin with his enhanced strength before he could swing his minigun back.

"You SPARTANs can all go to Hell!" the scream came from behind Chief.

He whipped around and saw that the last female soldier was standing poised ready to fire a killing shot right into John's head. In an instant he ducked, and threw the male soldier in front of him. John was right about the armor…it was very heavy, and due to that fact it was able to hold up against what would be three lethal body shots and a headshot. The woman looked down in horror as John dropped her fallen comrade and then at her shaking, gloved hands.

"You Bastard!" she screamed in rage and hoisted her gun up again, a crazy light in her eyes that spoke of revenge and hatred.

There was a high pitched whistle and a brown blur hit the soldier's hands making her drop the weapon in surprise. Then she looked up to see Liam standing there with another fist sized rock clenched in his hand.

"Kid, do you realize that you're going against your own species?" her voice was flat and sounded defeated.

"You're not part of my species if you try and kill them. They're not the monsters...you are; you and the rest of the UPMC!" Liam hissed through gritted teeth fury sparking in his blue eyes.

He then hoisted his arm back and heaved the rock he was holding so fast John nearly missed it as it hit the woman straight in the chest. The soldier gave a high-pitched gasp and stood for a moment with a shocked look on her face and then collapsed to the ground. She seemed to struggle for breath and then finally fell silent. For several minutes nothing moved.

Liam looked in shock at the obviously dead body in front of him with a look of revulsion and fear. John stood and put a hand on the youth's shoulder. Liam turned to look at him and then promptly turned back, walked several yards off and retched onto the ground.

Clyde went over and examined the body of the woman and the two others, "Apparently it hit her just in between heartbeats, it caused her heart to stop," he explained and stood back up dusting off his hands.

Jen watched with a look of quiet observation as the boy came back spitting and wiping his mouth, "It's tough..." she said softly.

Liam's eyes flashed over to her, "...what?"

"It's tough, the business of killing ain't it?"

The eighteen year old nodded.

Clyde came back over and looked from face to face, "Come on we need to get moving, the UPMC are going to be looking for six missing soldiers now and we don't want them finding us instead. But since we're here, we may as well take their weapons…especially you Chief; I know your augmentations are better than mine and Jen's being a SPARTAN-II and all, but your MA5C and M6G are both outdated weapons. Take the weapons and ammo these soldiers have and get going."

John nodded and discarded his now empty guns and started picking up the knife he used to kill the heavy weapons specialist and the assault rifle and pistol from the soldier Liam killed with magazines for both. Clyde hefted the minigun and its backpack-mounted ammunition feed while Jen took all the rifles by their shoulder slings. Liam was forced to carry all the magazines in a bag. The second they were done scavenging, they started forward again but slightly faster towards Hydra Canyon.

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><p>"Head Chairman, we've have found the item you've requested." a human soldier came forward holding the muddied looking object that seemed to hold so much value.<p>

"Excellent, where did you find it?" the graying man asked, a grim smile playing at his thin lips.

"It was tracked to the bottom of Lake Costa Sterna, the chip inside is still intact," the man responded with a quick salute.

"Very good, you may leave now I must contact our financer; he will be most interested in this," the Chairman said and without a word the soldier left.

For a moment the Chairman studied the helmet that was over seventy years old now but seemed in perfect condition. Turning it so that the back of it faced towards him, letting his thin, bony fingers slide down the back until it found the small chip in the back compartment. With a click, he removed the chip and then let the now-useless helmet fall to the expensively carpeted rug.

"Chairman, I hope you have found something of the utmost importance or you will be severely punished for interrupting me…" the guttural voice of Gaul came from the speakers and a large projection of a screen flashed up in front of the man.

"Yes, I believe that I have found something...something that may turn the tide of our little...agreement." he fingered the chip in his hands delicately.

Gaul fell into an icy silence observing the Chairman with an air of disgust but allowed the man to continue speaking. "This is what I have found my Lord, and do you perhaps know what it is?"

"Do not play mind games with me human!" the alien roared making the speakers hiss with feedback.

"It is the AI chip that belonged to the escaped SPARTAN," the Chairman said calmly back holding up the chip with the glowing blue center.

"And why would this be of any importance to our plan? Although I will admit that it is a mere convenience that may grant us a move or two ahead of our enemies," Gaul sniffed.

The Chairman gave a knowing smile, "Oh but Lord Gaul, this is important because before her swim in Costa Sterna lake, she had been transmitting information back to my headquarters for two days," then the man gave a mad laugh.

Understanding glazed the squid-faced alien's eyes, "You hacked her? You were able to rewire her to obey you?"

The Chairman nodded and the smile faded, "No, or at least not completely. You see before that super soldier escaped, we were able to put a virus into this AI. That virus in turn sent us information and was able to second handedly influence the AI." he explained.

Gaul frowned but yet again did not speak.

"As we speak the virus is still trying to hack through the AI's internal mechanisms acting as parasite draining information as it tries to subdue her...individuality,".

"But she refuses to submit?" the alien lord asked clasping his hands in his lap.

"Y...yes...she is most stubborn towards the virus but I assure you that with time she will succumb to it," the Chairman looked slightly uneasy but kept his voice from shaking.

There was silence for a moment but then Gaul rumbled, "Show me."

The man nodded and inserted the chip into an AI stand next to his own chair. After a moment the blue figure of Cortana appeared, kneeling and looking straight ahead. Every so often her color would flicker and go from blue, to green, to ruby red and then back.

"She may not be yielding quite yet but she cannot do anything two stressful or something that depends on her full attention or the virus will grab a hold of her," the Head Chairman indicated.

"So are you certain she will break?"

The man hesitated for a split seconds in which the AI said quietly, pain and anger clear in her voice. "You stupid pathetic creatures have no idea who you are dealing with! When the Master Chief gets here, I'm very certain that you imbeciles will die!"

This seemed to amuse Gaul and he gave a short gurgling laugh that hissed and spat pasted his tentacle-covered face, "You humans are very adaptable I will give you that," his black eyes sparkled maliciously, "contact me when you have made some progress with her. This has helped our agreement very much Chairman."

"I'm very glad you can see that milord," the Chairman said.

No sooner than the feed had been cut than the Chairman chuckled darkly. The gears in his head turning…oh this was just perfect… _'Smile while you can Lord Gaul, soon as I have dealt with the last of those freaks, it will be a forewarning to the doom you are about to have placed upon your head as the UPMC will take all its power back! Master Chief? Ha! He is but an old relic! A freak from a faction that no longer exists will die by the might of the UPMC! Let him come I say! What can a weak, pathetic freak like him do? And by the time this mess is cleaned up, I will see to it that anybody mentioning the name of John-117 will be executed for treason and heresy!'_


	8. Chapter 8: Mark156

Reborn: 

**Hey everyone I'm sorry for such I long delay but writers block + midterm testing = madness.** **But I hope you enjoy and please review it helps in making me write faster! Thanks again to Kurogane7 my beta!**

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><p><span>Chapter 8:<span> Mark 156

"Hey watch it!" Jen grumbled as Liam's foot slipped yet again sending a shower of dirt and pebbles cascading down into the face plate of her helmet.

It had been an hour since the four of them had entered into Hydra Canyons, two since their encounter with the UPMC scouts. Right now John was third in the line of them going down the sheer face of the canyon's, dusky walls, the only thing keeping them from falling to their deaths was a thin metallic rope that the other to SPARTANs had with them.

Below Chief was Clyde, above him was Jen, and then finally Liam; which in hindsight, wasn't the smartest decision. If the kid's strength decided to fail him, he'd end up falling and most likely bringing the three of them down with him. And that could happen any time now, they had been climbing for almost the whole time they'd been on the canyons and John could feel the shaking tremors that Liam's arms sent throughout the rope every few seconds.

Inch by inch they all made their way down the rope until finally they all reached the base of the canyon wall, luckily without incident. Chief shook the soreness from his arms and then glanced around at where they had landed. The floor of the canyon was about hundred or so feet wide with a small, murky, stream running along the bottom. The rock beneath his feet was a rosy brown color and sent up puffs of fine dust up whenever he shuffled his feet.

"Come on, not much farther from here," Clyde said hefting the minigun he had swiped from the heavy scout and panned around the area even though it seemed to be clear.

They started forward with Jen taking point and Clyde taking up the rear sandwiching John and Liam between them. Then they all started walking forward onwards to their destination. As the minutes ticked by the canyon began to get narrow and maze like. Small tributaries went off to the left and right and the stream soon disappeared around one of them. The passage soon got so narrow that the group of four all had to travel in single file to fit. The sun overhead was blocked by shelves of stratified rock that hung over their heads, casting them into a cool dusk that seemed to warp how time passed. Every minute felt like an hour or so had gone by. While an hour had indeed gone by, it only felt as if a few moments had. Chief now understood why the rebels had chosen this place as their safe haven…the winding maze of differently-canyons would be confusing enough if you were walking on foot but if there was air support it would be difficult to spot anything within the canyon. And the narrow passage would only allow one, possibly two soldiers at a time to walk down and they would make easy targets for snipers and gunmen. It was very deserving of its name.

There was slight clatter of rock on rock and John looked upwards where a few small stones tumbled down the wall as if something was walking along the top of the canyon. John paused for a moment, his sharp eyes looking for any sign of the thing that had disturbed the rocks but he couldn't see anything and continued walking forward now feeling as if something or someone was peering at him…then it happened! Several minutes later, more dirt sent cascading down from above, and this time John unhooked one of his new weapons and aimed it upwards waiting for the next sign of movement to shoot at.

"Easy there Chief, we have several scouts up in this area and they are probably tracking us to see who the newcomers are. So if I were you I wouldn't give them anything to be nervous about," Clyde put a hand on the drawn weapon but keeping his own out.

John looked at his a second longer and then put aside his weapon, uneasy to being watched when he didn't know exactly where the spies were. All his senses were on overdrive and he felt his heart start to pump slightly faster as if preparing for an upcoming fight. With every step now Jen and Clyde were getting more and more uneasy. Both of them held weapons at the ready and were constantly looking up and behind them. John could tell that Liam was also getting uneasy and continually glared back at SPARTANs in suspicion. This continued until finally Jen halted ahead and turned down into a large dip that led to a small cave and a dead end. As soon as he set foot down into the cave the hairs on the back of Chief's neck stood on end and he immediately knew that something was wrong. Before he could turn to warn the others something hard clipped him in the temple sending him to the ground. "DAMMIT!" he growled as his ears rung and his vision blurred for a moment.

He tried to roll to the side to evade his attacker but the cave was too small and cramped for John in his bulky armor and he ended up jammed against the stone wall and floor with a foot jammed into the small of his back. Some scratchy fabric was roughly shoved over his head and the world went black. John struggled as several pairs of strong hands, more than had been there before, tried to restrain him but this only made the SPARTAN struggle more violently. He was pulled out of the corner and was half dragged, he guessed, out of the cave.

Somewhere he could hear a yell that seemed to come from Liam that alerted John that there were even more attackers than he thought. As he was pulled upwards onto his feet Chief shouldered one of his unknown opponents into the wall and his left arm was free for a moment. He scrabbled at his side and grabbed one of the hand guns that Clyde had given him and fired off a shot before his arm was wrestled into submission again. There was another yell of pain and several swears that came in an accented voice that was foreign to John's ears.

"This can't continue!" a single male voice shouted over the commotion and there was another gunshot that made everyone except Chief fall silent.

There was the sound of footsteps and before John could comprehend what was going on he was hit again in the head and for a moment John stumbled. In that moment he felt something securing his hands behind his back and he was roughly pushed forward. There was a whoosh of a door sliding open and John was rushed forward by two or three people. His thoughts were groggy now but he still had enough lucidity to try and pull against his restraints but to no avail. After a few confused seconds, he was pushed onto something to sit on and the fabric pulled from his head. Chief blinked as bright light assaulted his eyes making them sting. It wasn't until they adjusted that he comprehended what was going on. All around him were nine people in total. To his right seated in another chair was Liam whose hands were also secured behind him with a pair of normal-looking hand cuffs. The eight other people consisted of Clyde, Jen, and three other SPARTANS, all three were men.

One was clad in dark navy blue armor with a helmet tucked underneath his arm as he approached John. He appeared to be in his early thirties, had dark hair and a thin clean-shaven face. The most striking feature of the man was his bright gray eyes, so bright in fact that they almost appeared silver. He came up and peered into John's face his face expressionless but those eyes were hard, cold, and calculating. The room hushed as John straightened up and gave a small cough.

"Who in the Hell are you and what do you think you're doing!" he said in deadly voice.

The silver eyed man gave a small smirk and straightened up, "I am Mark-156, commanding officer of this facility, head combat instructor, and at the moment...your interrogator."

* * *

><p>Arruk peered down into the canyon that was at his feet. It had been two days since Lord Gaul had sent the Followers to hunt down this thing called a SPARTAN. So far he had followed the obvious trail that the soldier had left, an old dented tin box in the forest, eaten fruit cores, and the most obvious of all the five dead UPMC scouts that lay at this moment rotting in the middle of the plains.<p>

The Cryonite gave a guttural warble as he tried to figure out what to do, the SPARTAN was most definitely being lead somewhere, but by whom was still uncertain and he was still unsure of how to get down into the canyon. The squid-faced alien paced along the edge of the chasm, searching when his dark eyes saw something over in the dirt. Upon closer inspection, he saw that there was a muddled mix of scuffled dirt and sand. Following it back, Arruk saw that there were now four pairs of distinct footprints all leading in the same direction.

The alien immediately brought out a device that had a screen and several buttons with strange symbols covering them. His clawed fingers pressed three of them and an image of Gaul appeared on the screen. "Arruk...I assume since that you are contacting me you have either found something _very _important or have defeated to SPARTAN," Gaul growled in a menacing voice making the soldier stiffen.

"Yes Lord, I have discovered that the SPARTAN is no longer traveling alone. He has at encountered at least three other companions and they all seem to be heading deep into Hydra Canyon," he reported praying to his gods that this would suffice as _very _important.

Gaul was silent for a moment and then his gave a watery, growling, chuckle of pleasure and Arruk relaxed slightly. "Excellent soldier, you have made important progress! I believe you have discovered the hideout of this rebel SPARTAN and his companions. Do not go any further into the Canyons yet; I shall send reinforcements and you will take out this nuisance once and for all."

The alien soldier nodded, "Yes my lord, as you wish," and with that the screen flickered off.

Arruk smirked to himself as he seated himself on the lip of the canyon and awaited the reinforcements, he would enjoy tearing the SPARTAN apart and he relished the moment that he would be triumphant over this new enemy...yes he would enjoy it _very _much as he showed these stupid humans how foolish they were to even think of standing up to the Cryonites!


	9. Chapter 9: SPARTAN V

Reborn:

**I'm sorry for the delaty in updates but I really have no excuse except laziness. I hope you enjoy chapter nine and I'd greatly appreciate some feed back. R&R por favor! Thanks - Rin**

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><p><span>Chapter 9:<span> SPARTAN V

"Why is it that you've come here?" Mark asked still pacing in front of John and Liam.

"Because Dr. Halsey's holo-message instructed us to find you," Chief answered getting tired very quickly of all these questions. Trivial as they were, they were still very legitimate questions.

"And why would she send you a holo-message? Who are you to her?" the blue SPARTAN stopped his pacing and halted directly in front of Chief.

"It's not me that she was interested in, she sent the message to the kid over there," he spat back glaring right back into Mark's burning silver eyes.

The guy stared at John for another few seconds and then turned his sharp gaze to Liam who tried to glare back without flinching, which was no small feat. Now John, he was actually scared of, but this kid was not even a challenge. He knelt down in front of the eighteen year old and looked him straight in the eye and frowned.

"Why would Dr. Halsey ever be interested in a scrap like you? What makes you so damn important that my two operatives thought it useful to bring you and your bodyguard here?" he said that out loud, more to himself than anything.

"Dunno," Liam grumbled, "why would she entrust a bastard like you to an army?"

John tried to hide a grin of amusement at the youth's bold words, giving him credit for speaking out against someone who could've taken his head off with no questions asked. This seemed to amuse Mark to some degree as well, as he flashed a dark smirk and then stood up.

"Ha! Such big words for a little squirt such as yourself! Oh, you've got guts I'll give you that kid. But guts aren't going to tell me why you're important, so why don't you start talking?" he ended with a slight growl that made Liam swallow.

"Sir, I believe that this is what they are referring to as the holo-message," a non-SPARTAN soldier came up next to Mark holding the small disk.

Mark glanced over at his two prisoners before grabbing the device and clicking the button on the side. The see through hologram of Dr. Halsey flickered into life and relayed the same message it had before. Once the figure disappeared once more silence entombed the room as everyone looked from the device to Chief and Liam and then back.

"So...you're the next generation huh?" Mark finally said looking over Liam now with a new curiosity.

"What does that even mean! I have no idea what I'm supposed to do, that message just said for us to come and find you!" Liam said loudly struggling to release his wrists from their bonds.

Mark took a deep breath, "Alright, I guess I have no choice but to bring you to our senior executive officer, she will be able to explain everything to you,".

Then with a wave of his hand another SPARTAN released Liam and steered him towards a doorway.

"But wait! What about John? He's coming too right?" Liam called back trying to wrench his arm out of the soldier's grip.

"No. Unlike you, he was not mentioned in the message and needs to be interrogated further." Mark said coldly.

"But he's a SPARTAN just like you!" the kid growled back.

Oh he has had just about enough from this kid! Mark was losing his patience, and he was losing it fast!

"He could very well be…or he could just as easily be a UPMC spy dressed in an antique suit of armor to gain our trust. Now hurry up and go before I change my mind about letting you go! In fact, everyone else can leave, except Clyde and Jen; the both of you need to answer some of my questions as well." he called and all the soldiers and two other SPARTANS left, leaving just Mark, Clyde, Jen, and John in the small room.

"It was immeasurably idiotic for the two of you to bring these two into the canyon without consent! What were you thinking?" Mark lectured the man and woman who stood impassively at attention.

"Permission to speak freely sir?" Clyde responded earning an odd look from his leader.

But Mark nodded slowly, "Permission granted, you'd better have a good reason."

Clyde's voice was very calm and collected. This was very easily done for someone that has been around Mark as long as he had, "Yes I do sir, we both do. From what out interactions with the two of them showed, this is Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra-117."

Mark was silent for a full five minutes just staring at the soldier as if he had grown a second head. Then he turned to the second and stared her down. "Jen is this true?"

The woman gave a stiff nod.

"You have got to be kidding me..." he muttered to himself and then whipped around to look at John.

"Is it true? Are you really the Master Chief?"

John looked calmly back at the man, glaring right into his silver eyes, and answered without blinking, "About time you realized that."

"But you were supposed to be killed in action almost seventy years ago, how could you still be alive?" Mark said incredulously her eyes narrowing.

Chief almost smirked, "SPARTANs don't die; they're just missing in action."

This statement left a silence behind where Mark just looked between his two soldiers and John.

Mark looked back at the other two SPARTANs who stood at attention and gave an irritated growl, "Let him up and take him to a holding cell. I'm very sure Marie will want to talk to him later."

Clyde and Jen each gave a crisp salute and then approached John. Mark meanwhile pulled out a small device with a wide screen that he tapped twice and it turned on with a beep.

"Please just follow us, and don't try anything." Jen muttered as she undid the bonds holding Chief's hands behind his back. She really didn't want to have to do this—partially because this man was a living legend and deserved to be treated better after what he'd been through, and especially because his augmentations weren't something to be thought less of. Meaning that she'd have trouble fending him off when it came to hand-to-hand combat in and out of that suit of MJOLNIR Mk. VI armor he wore.

He slowly stood and allowed Clyde to take his shoulder and guide him forward. They went down a long dark hallway that ended with a heavy duty, steel plated door that had a control panel beside it. Jen tapped in a series of number and the doors opened with a hiss. John looked up and blinked in surprise, he had expected to be entering a cell of some sort or perhaps even another hallway but he saw that he had just entered a gigantic hangar.

Directly in the center of the huge room was a huge ship that looked almost like a Pelican but had a more organic look and was more streamlined. Behind the ship were four or five smaller crafts that looked like they would hold two people and were mounted with what looked like plasma cannons. Around the crafts were many different stations each crowded with people doing various tasks. Some were loading and packing weapons into storage containers, others were watching monitors that seemed to be showing different parts of the canyons for surveillance, but the largest group of people was gathered around a much larger monitor that seemed to be showing a pair of people fighting or at least training.

But before John could get a better look he was guided away through the hangar, past the space craft and through another pair of sliding doors. Down another hallway and then they all stopped in front of locked door that had a small window in the front. Jen again punched in a code that made the door open into a plain, white, room where the only furnishings were a metal bench and table.

"You're going to have to wait here until our senior executive can come and debrief you." Clyde said, eliciting a frown from John.

Sitting around waiting to be interrogated didn't agree with him but he forced himself to try and think rationally. These people didn't have any idea who he was or why he had come to them. They were rightfully suspicious and were taking the necessary precautions against a possible threat, John understood that. The two SPARTANs each nodded to him and them reluctantly shut and sealed the door behind them.

* * *

><p>Liam was pushed into a small, colorless, room that had only a table and two chairs directly in the center. A single dim light illuminated the space giving it a slightly haunted look and making the kid feel slightly paranoid. Just then the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he turned to see someone standing in one of the dim corners of the room.<p>

"Who the hell are you?" he spat, his voice practically demanding answers.

There was a pause and then a slim, dark haired woman stepped out into the dim light. She wore a military uniform with several ribbons pinned to the front. Her ebony hair cut to just below her ears and a pair of dark green eyes peered at him from behind thin glasses with cunning intelligence. All and all, she looked very attractive—Liam could've sworn that she was no older than thirty. In her hand was a clipboard with a plain manila folder attached to it.

"I am Marie Osborne, senior executive of the UPMC resistance and captain of the Battle Cruiser 'Revival' here on base. But I must say Liam, why ask about me when you're the one we all really want to know about." she said softly, opening the file in her hand.

"I'd like to know too but I've found it's hard to get straight answers from you people!" Liam grumbled and watched the woman carefully as she sat down at the table.

"Why don't you take and seat and I'll gladly answer your questions. I assume you have many of them?"

Liam looked between her and the chair but slowly walked over and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at Marie. She showed no emotion towards him but calmly slid the folder over and indicated for him to open it. He took the file and flipped it open and was immediately met with a picture of himself clipped to some papers. At first it was just generic information about himself; height, weight, eye and hair color, but the one thing that caught his name on the top of the paper.

It read Liam 001. He flipped to the next set of information and his brow soon became furrowed. The next page seemed to be sets of data that had been collected on some sort of experiment.

One of the entrys read; _April 14th 2604: Subject A shows signs of increased activity in week 26 of fetal stage. It has been 20 weeks since introduction of experimental bio-chemicals with no signs of damage or injury inflicted to subject or mother. Subject seems to have an increased rate of growth, which was expected and project S5 is to continue as scheduled._

Liam's eyes flicked down to another later entry and he read with growing confusion.

_May 4th 2604: Subject has been found to have grown more rapidly than expected and is expected to be conceived two months ahead of predicted arrival. Mother recently had trouble breathing but this was thought to be because of a reaction to the anesthetic. Subject is now ready for final stage of the bio-chemical introduction._

_May 15th 2604: Subject's mother went into shock after biochemical introduction and had to undergo immediate rehabilitation. Is currently in the ICU and under twenty-four hour watch in the event of heath decline. Subject presumed to be well but further insight is needed._

_May 28th 2604: Subject's mother's vital signs have declined and doctors suggest emergency C section to save the subject. Scientists are hesitant that the surgery may compromise the subject's health but have given permission for surgery. We wait for further information._

_May 30th 2604: C-section planned for June second. Still no further information on the Subject's health…further investigation is required._

_June 3rd 2604: Mother of Subject A is confirmed deceased but Subject himself is confirmed whole and healthy. We will begin neural implant surgery in five weeks' time to complete augmentation process in infancy. DNA tests came back positive for suggested markers and prognosis is positive for go ahead to continue project SPARTAN V. Subject named after deceased mother's request Liam. Foster parents are to be selected from secret military personnel and are to be monitored until adoption time. Distanced analysis is to be continued._

Liam stared at the last entry for a full five minutes just feeling dumbstruck. Finally he forced his paralyzed fingers to let go of the file and it fell to the floor, scattering the papers across the concrete floor.

"Do you now understand your importance Liam? You are the first and last SPARTAN V." Marie said her face completely calm and her voice steady.

Liam just stared at his hands, he felt as if he was going insane. Like he had been thrust into a parallel world where nothing made sense and everything was backwards. He couldn't be a super soldier! He was always considered the weakling at school, never popular with the other kids and criticized for never doing anything. This had to be some cruel joke; the entire thing had to be some kind of nightmare, and he was going to wake up soon. And yet, the evidence was right there in front of him…

"I know it is a lot to take in just a few minutes but you need to understand that you are to become the most important asset to our cause Liam. You are to be the hero that stops the dictatorship of the UPMC."

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><p>Cortana felt the virus push violently against her firewalls once more and mentally groaned. The virus had been more active lately and hadn't given her a break since the Head Chairman had left the room, and that was almost a day ago. Whatever hacking software that the past seventy years had come up with was much stronger than they used to be.<p>

That's when she felt the snap, one of her barriers had cracked and she felt the data of the virus starting to leak through. Clamping down she tried to put up another firewall but it was weak compared to the other defenses and she could feel it…wouldn't last more than a few minutes.

The AI knew that if she continued to sit like a trapped animal she would eventually lose, and she had to fight back somehow. That's when she began to construct a hacking algorithm herself and built it into the framework of her defenses. As soon as the virus chewed through the next wall it would unleash her virus and it was counteract the program trying to invade her.

Cortana calculated that there was a 49.8% chance that her virus would counteract the opposing virus and hold it up for an uncertain amount of time. A 40.5 percent chance that it would delay it long enough for her to construct more defenses and hold her position and a 9.7 percent chance that it would do little to nothing to help. She felt her secondary defense start to crack and then it disintegrated, releasing the hidden weapon that launched itself at the enemy.

At first she was pleased to see that the invading virus stopped in its assault to attack the counter virus but in horror she saw that it was held up for only a few microseconds. Then it continued forward, breaking down the rest of her barriers!


	10. Attention! Please read: important

Attention!:

I know this story is now an old relic and I have not updated it in sometime. I apologize for that and for the lack of contact :) I DO have a life outside of fanfiction though, and it has just recently been calm enough for me to begin to revaluate my stories and start updating once more. I have looked over this particular fanfiction and have deemed it worthy of a rewrite, especially for the plot line. Eventually, I will take this story down (probably in a week or so) and repost the new updated version once I have gone over it. I have no idea when exactly I'll repost the story but I do plan on doing it...eventually...hopefully. I pray whoever is reading this can forgive my laziness, busy schedule, and every other blasted thing that has popped up within the last year.

Now I shall await the hate...

Thanks for reading - Rin


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